Dwarf Paper Mulberry, Kozo (Broussonetia monoica)

Dwarf Paper Mulberry, Kozo - Broussonetia monoica is aslo known under name B. kazinoki, but this name has been recently reserved for hybrid of B. monoica and Common Paper Mulbery - B. papyrifera (the correct name of this hybrid is B. x kazinoki).  

The fruits are edible and very delicious

B. monoica this is deciduous Asiatic shrub (or more often small tree) to 5 m (17ft) tall, but commonly smaller (2-3m = 7-10ft). Very frost hardy (to zone 6). Monoecious. It starts to fruiting within 4-5 years from seed. In blooms in April/May and in July are ripening edible delicious orange-red mulberry-like fruits (which are delicious and taste like figs). It is different from (B. papyrifera) by smaller size of whole tree and its organs (leaves, fruits, flower heads) and monoecious inflorescences. It blooms in the same time as B. papyrifera and, as I mentioned before, there are known also hybrids of both specie (which is prized as material to making a paper, the same, or even more, than clean B. monoica). Seeds need cold stratification to germinating. They should be stratified immediately after receiving because they can be shortly viable. After stratification sow the seeds shallowly or surface in pots in a sandy well drained soil. Sow only small amount of seeds in each pot because the seedlings are not resistant to transplanting. It can be also propagated by woody leafless cuttings with heel in autumn (plant them in mix of soil and sand in pots in cool cellar; I used rooting hormone) or half-woody ones (also with heel) in June/June (rooted in sandy soil mix or in clear water). 

It creates usually to 2-3m (7-10ft) tall small trees

Two female and one male infloreescences

Female inflorescences

The fruits are soft, sweet and very delicious