Che (Chinese Mulberry)

Sweet, compared to a fig with notes of watermelon — A seedless female selection propagated from a tree grown by USDA plant breeder Dr. George M. Darrow, sold grafted onto Osage orange rootstock so it matures into a standard tree rather than a bush. The nursery lists it as self-fertile, but the same nursery cautions that che of any variety needs sufficient summer heat to ripen fully, so zone alone does not decide whether you get fruit.

Sweet, compared to a fig with notes of watermelon — Found by nurseryman Cliff England in a 1930s orchard of unusual fruit near the TVA's Norris Dam in northern Tennessee. Sold as a seedless female said to bear fruit without a pollinator, but the nursery reports that in its own plantings the tree only produced fruit when pollinated, and recommends planting a male pollinator or grafting a male branch onto the tree in zone 6 and below. Plan for a male unless you are in a reliably warm zone.

Combines qualities of a mulberry and a fig with a hint of watermelon sweetness — A Korean variety carrying much larger fruit than the common che selections. The nursery rates it as having the best chance of actually ripening in zone 5, where che ripening is otherwise unreliable - ripening is inconsistent in zone 6 and much more dependable in zones 7 to 9.

A male selection chosen for abundant pollen. It sets no fruit of its own - it exists to pollinate female che. The nursery recommends a male pollinator in zone 6 and below, where it helps fruit ripen faster and reduces fruit drop.