Mulberry, or mulberry tree (lat. Morus) - one of the most famous deciduous plants of a warm subtropical climate, soft temperate zones of Europe, Asia, North America, Africa. It is also called tyutina, mulberry. Juicy large berries are a valuable food product, a source of vitamins, an effective medicine. Leaves of a tree eat silkworm caterpillars. In the 16th century, mulberry was actively bred in Russia; there was a manufactory for the production of silk fabrics at the royal court.
Botanical Description
Most types of mulberry trees are stunted or medium-tall trees with thin trunks, a spreading crown. They rise by 15–18 m. Individual specimens under favorable conditions reach 25–30 m. Life expectancy is 200–400 years. Young seedlings develop rapidly; at 7–8 years, growth slows down.
The bark of trees is greenish, brown or silver-gray, dotted with thin cracks. Lateral shoots are located at an angle of 45-60 °, densely branched. The leaves are simple, bright green, ovoid or lobed, with pointed tops, serrated edges, long petioles. Plaques 6–15 cm in size. Venation pinnate or reticulate. The next location. The back of the leaves, petioles slightly pubescent.
Mulberry inflorescences bloom in May. These are panicle brushes or earrings, consisting of several dozen small white, yellow or pink corollas. There are dioecious and monoecious species. The fruits ripen from late June to the last days of July, depending on the region of growth.
Mulberry berries are like blackberries, large raspberries.. This is an oblong co-fertility, consisting of many numerous rounded granules with juicy flesh. Inside contains small bones. Berries 2–5 cm in size, have a fragrant aroma, spicy-sweet taste. Seedless mulberry species are also found. The color of the berries depends on the variety. There are light cream, yellow, pink, dark purple fruits. It is not difficult to assemble them: it is enough to substitute a dish of a suitable size under the tree, shake the branches. Ripe fruits will crumble down, green ones will remain hanging.
Storage, transportation of mulberries is difficult: after collection they quickly lose freshness, crumple, start to ferment.
Kinds
In nature, there are 17 varieties, on their basis almost 500 hybrid varieties were bred. Not all mulberry trees have edible fruits; not all species are suitable for silkworm fodder.
White mulberry
This dioecious tree hails from the Far East. The leaves of the plant feed on caterpillars spinning Chinese silk. During pupation, insects release the finest silk threads 400–900 m long in white or pink.
In culture, it is bred as a raw material for feeding silkworms, obtaining fruits. The species grows up to 10-17 m in height, has a wide dense crown, delicate light green serrated leaves. The bark is silver. Berries up to 5 cm in size, sugary, sugary. There are varieties with light fruits: yellowish, white, pink. In some species, they are dark red, almost black. The fruiting is plentiful, each tree brings up to 90–100 kg during the harvest period.
White mulberry is unpretentious for maintenance, grows on loamy, sandy, low-nutrient soils. It can be grown in urban environments. Easily attached to the slopes of ravines due to branched root shoots. It is frost-resistant and can withstand cold up to -30 ° C. After freezing, young branches are quickly restored. The white mulberry lives up to 250 years. Known cultivated varieties:
- Victoria;
- White tenderness;
- Luganochka.
Black mulberry
The homeland of this monoecious species is the countries of the Middle East, Transcaucasia. Black mulberry tree prefers a hot climate. In the natural environment, the plant reaches a height of 7-10 m. Its crown is picturesque, tent-like, consists of long hanging shoots. Perennial skeletal branches are shorter than young. The width of the crown reaches several meters. The trunks are often curved, branched, covered with dark brown bark. The leaves are dark green, thick, large, 15-17 cm long, broadly oval, with a notched base. The plates are rough to the touch. Silkworms are not suitable for food. Trees are cultivated for fruit.. Berries of ink, violet color or dark red, about 3-4 cm in size, juicy, sweet and sour. The taste is reminiscent of grapes.
The fruiting of black mulberry varieties begins at 4–5 years of age. The trees last for 200–300 years. The most popular fruit varieties:
- Black Baroness;
- Istanbul
- Hartut;
- Dark-skinned girl.
Application
Mulberry for its unique properties is often called the king tree. Valuable natural fabrics are made from this tree.
In medicine
Leaves, stems, mulberry roots contain:
- tannins;
- fatty and organic acids;
- resins;
- flavonoids;
- copper, phosphorus, magnesium, compounds of iron, zinc.
In mulberries, a large amount was found:
- ascorbic, nicotinic and folic acids;
- thiamine, B2, B12, K;
- routine, carotenoids, choline;
- antioxidants;
- minerals.
In the fruit juice is a valuable compound that prevents the development of tumor processes and vascular pathologies - resveratrol.
Greens, bark, berries have anti-inflammatory, astringent, bactericidal, expectorant, diaphoretic, diuretic effects. The pharmacological activity of fruit juice is slightly higher due to the higher concentration of biochemical compounds in it.
For the first time in medicine, mulberry products began to be used in medieval Persia, during the time of the healer Avicenna.
Fresh fruit juice, decoctions of them are used to treat intestinal disorders, inflammation of the oral cavity, tonsillitis, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, including bronchitis, bronchial asthma. Ripe fruits relieve constipation, unripe ones relieve diarrhea.
Fresh berries are recommended for various diseases of the heart and blood vessels: arrhythmias, myocardial dystrophy, hypertension, blood pressure jumps. Mulberry pulp is useful for chronic pathologies of the gallbladder, liver, pancreas.
Decoctions of leaves, bark are used in the complex treatment of tonsillitis, bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, flu as an antiseptic, antipyretic, expectorant. In crushed form, bark, root shoots are used to prepare ointments for bruises, dermatological diseases, abrasions, cuts, and purulent ulcers.
Tea from young twigs, leaves, dried berries strengthens physical strength, is useful for hypovitaminosis, anemic conditions, nervous depletion, decreased vision, dysbiosis, digestive disorders, diseases of the genitourinary system, and in the initial stages of diabetes.
Regular use of mulberry tree preparations helps restore healthy skin, hair, and nails.
In cooking
By taste, mulberry is superior to raspberries and blackberries. It contains a lot of fructose, glucose, pectin, organic acids. Despite the strong sweetness, berries have few calories: 40–45 kcal per 100 g of product. You can use them as a healthy treat, without fear of getting better.
The mulberry is dried, jam is made from it, jams are made of fruit drinks, fruit drinks, jelly, marmalade, fillings, impregnation for pies, pastries.
In landscaping and landscaping
Having mulberry in your garden in China is considered a lucky sign. There she is sacred. Due to insensitivity to adverse weather conditions, unpretentiousness in the care of the plant is called a tree for the lazy. You can plant it on city streets, in green areas, parks, in the adjoining territories.
The mulberry tree is good in single and group plantings.. Compact hybrids with pyramidal, column-shaped, weeping forms of crowns were developed. Trees adorn the landscape from early spring to late autumn.
Contraindications to the use of mulberry remedies
Mulberry fruits are a rather strong allergen. They can cause a reaction at the first use: skin rash, itching, hay fever. In some cases, swelling of the eyelids or lips is likely - a manifestation of angioedema. With intolerance, useful berries from the diet will have to be excluded.
Mulberry juice is prohibited for use by those suffering from gallstone disease, stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis, advanced stages of diabetes.
Mulberry dishes should not be given to young children under the age of 2 years.
Growing
Mulberry tree perfectly develops in a temperate climate zone, adapts to almost all types of soils. It grows on alkaline, acidic soils. The mulberry tree does not tolerate excessive dampness, frequent waterlogging.
Landing
Mulberries are planted in spacious, well-lit areas. A widely growing root system requires a large area. In the gardens, it is recommended to cultivate varieties growing up to 4-6 m. If the plant is supposed to be used as a fruit bearing, it is advisable to select proven seedlings, young trees that have already bearing fruit. Up to 5 years, it is very difficult to understand the gender of the mulberry.
It is recommended to plant mulberry in the middle lane in spring, after the snow has melted and the soil has warmed up to 10–12 ° С. Pits for plants are prepared with a size of about 50 × 50 cm. The distance between the bushes in group plantings should be at least 2 m. Add ½ buckets of compost, leaf humus or rotted manure to the soil removed from the holes. It is possible to supplement top dressing by adding potassium phosphate fertilizer or superphosphate. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pits. The roots of the seedlings are placed neatly, straightened, the earth is evenly distributed throughout the entire volume of the holes. Small tubercles are poured near the root necks. Immediately after planting, the trees are watered, mulched with needles or sawdust.
Watering
Additional hydration is necessary for mulberry before reaching 5 years. Trees growing on dry sandy soils are watered every week, bringing in 15 liters of water. Wet clay soils should be moistened carefully so as not to provoke decay of the root system. With heavy rainfall, you can refuse to water. By the second half of summer, plants have time to be saturated with water, the vegetation process slows down, they need less moisture. From this period, you can refuse to moisturize to provide the mulberry tree with protection from future cold weather.
Top dressing
Mulberry is not recommended to overfeed with nitrogenous compounds. From late March to mid-April, urea can be introduced under the roots. This will destroy the larvae of harmful insects, provide a reserve for growth.
Before flowering, superphosphate is added to the soil.. If the soil is not nutritious enough, make compost, humus or other organic matter with a frequency of 1 time per month.
To protect against fungus and parasites, plants are sprayed 2-3 times a season with fungicidal solutions, insecticides.
Crown Care, Trimming
Cut the branches of the mulberry tree to give the crown a decorative look, rejuvenation begins from 3 years. Earlier pruning is acceptable for sanitary purposes. To do this, remove diseased, damaged, frozen branches during the winter.
The mulberry tree is quickly restored, grows green mass, so you can cut ⅓ of the crown volume per season. In decorative varieties, the lower part of the trunk is usually left bare up to a height of 1.5 m, the crown is given a spherical or pyramidal shape.
To prevent the death of young shoots in winter frosts, a mulberry tree younger than 5 years old is recommended to be insulated. The branches are bent down, the crown is wrapped in burlap, tied. The roots can be covered with spruce branches.
Breeding
Varietal mulberry is not propagated by seeds. This method does not preserve the species properties of the plant. Vegetative methods are usually used: cuttings, vaccinations.
Cuttings are cut in early summer from shoots of a year old. The rods should be 12-15 cm long, have 1-2 healthy buds, a couple of leaves. Excess greens are torn off. The processes root in a mixture of peat and sand. The first 2 years it is recommended to grow them in a greenhouse, then transfer them to open ground.
In sandy soil, the mulberry tree often launches root processes, which can be easily disconnected from the mother tree in spring. Low-growing varieties with long lateral shoots are propagated by layering. To do this, bend selected branches to the ground, lightly sprinkle with soil. After a year, the shoot takes root, it is disconnected and transplanted.