Description of the mulberry tree: a low tree (up to 15 m in height) lives on average 300 years. There are old-timer mulberry trees that are already about 500 years old. The fruit is a complex drupe, like blackberries and raspberries, but sweeter and more tender. It has an elongated shape, reaches 1.5 cm in length (and in some varieties it grows up to 2-3 cm). There are varieties with juicy, sweet berries of white, pink, purple color and a pleasant aroma.

The most common types of mulberry are 2: black and white. White mulberry produces light fruits with a subtle, barely noticeable aroma. The bark is gray or pale brown. Homeland - Eastern China. Black mulberry came to us from Southwest Asia and is distinguished by its dark red-brown bark. Its fruits are intensely cherry, purple or almost black in color, contain more organic acids than the berries of the white variety, and therefore taste sweet with noticeable sourness. They have a stronger, pleasant aroma.

Various parts of this valuable plant are used in many industries. The fruits, roots and leaves of mulberries have unique beneficial properties and are used in medicine. Musical instruments, decorative and household products are made from mulberry wood. Trees are often used in landscape design, for landscaping industrial areas and securing slopes.

Composition of berries, calorie content

Mulberries are a source of valuable vitamins and minerals, essential oils and organic acids.

Nutritional value and chemical composition per 100 g of product:

The glycemic index of different mulberry varieties differs. For white mulberry it varies between 25–32, and for black mulberry it is 24–27.

Useful properties and applications

All parts of the mulberry tree find their use in various areas: the leaves are used as food for the silkworm, the bark and roots are actively used in folk medicine, and various household and decorative products and musical instruments (utars, sazs, rubobs, tanburs) are made from the wood. But the most popular product remains the tasty and juicy mulberry fruit.

Use in cooking

Mulberry fruits have long been used in cooking. They are prepared from:

• drinks (jelly, juices, wine);

• healthy and tasty preparations (mulberry honey, jam, jam);

• pie fillings;

• dried fruits;

• oriental sweets (marshmallow, sherbet).

Everyone, young and old, enjoys fresh berries. Fresh mulberries can be stored for no more than 3 days in the refrigerator. It also cannot be transported over long distances. Therefore, the berries are dried and jam, syrup, and drinks are prepared from them. Dried mulberry perfectly retains its taste. In this form, it is very useful and can replace any sweets.

After heat treatment, the berries do not lose their beneficial properties, so you can prepare jam during the absence of fresh berries. Mulberry jam is not only a tasty delicacy, but also a healthy remedy that helps with heart disease, hypertension, and colds. The jam recipe is simple:

• 1 kg of berries;

• 800 g sugar;

• 1 pinch of citric acid.

The berries are sprinkled with sugar and left for 30-40 minutes so that they release the juice. Then the jam is placed on low heat. After boiling, cook for 10 minutes and turn off. After 8 hours, add citric acid and cook for 5 minutes after boiling. Now all that remains is to put the product into a sterilized container and screw it up.

It is undesirable to exceed the specified sugar norm, because the berry itself is very sweet. Since mulberry fruits contain more than 80% water, a lot of syrup is formed during the process of making jam. To make the jam thicker, the syrup can be separated and prepared separately. To treat colds, sore throat, bronchitis, cough, syrup is prepared from berries without adding sugar, by boiling. To enhance the effect, leaves of this plant are added to the syrup during cooking.

Mulberry syrup is also called mulberry honey. To prepare it, add 100 ml of water and 1 kg of sugar to 1 kg of berries, cook for at least 1 hour over fire. After cooling, filter, squeeze with a press, separating the dry residue. The resulting syrup is simmered over low heat for 6 to 24 hours, periodically removing the foam and stirring. It is better to store doshab in a glass container. It is useful for diseases of the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, decreased male potency, depression and chronic fatigue, and women during menopause.

Some agricultural enterprises grow mulberries for wine production. You can also prepare it at home. For this purpose, only ripe fruits are collected. They add sugar, a little water, and lemon juice. After fermentation, the wine is poured into dark wine bottles and sealed. Gourmets value it very much for its characteristic taste and beneficial properties. Lovers of stronger drinks will appreciate mulberry vodka made from sweet aromatic berries.

Use in folk medicine

In the east, the mulberry tree has always been revered and called the tree of life. It was believed that its sweet fruits restored vision, prolonged life, and filled the body with strength and energy. Modern scientific data on the rich chemical composition confirm ancient knowledge. Mulberry fruits contain malic, citric and other organic acids, essential oils, pectin compounds and flavonoids.

Anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant found in black mulberry fruits, binds free radicals and prevents the destruction of cell membranes. Resveratrol slows down the aging process of cells and prevents the development of tumors. A valuable vitamin and mineral complex helps the body maintain normal metabolic processes and fight vascular and heart diseases. Effective medicinal products with a wide spectrum of action are prepared from mulberry berries. They are used as:

• choleretic;

• anti-inflammatory;

• diuretic;

• mild laxative.

Such a drug will be useful for hypertension, diseases of the kidneys, upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, with a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood (especially black mulberry berries), to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Berries are useful for elderly people, children and pregnant women in any form: fresh, dried, boiled.

The mild laxative effect that overripe fruits have allows them to be used to prevent constipation. When unripe, they have a fixing effect. Mulberry juice helps in the separation of mucus, therefore it is effective as an expectorant for bronchitis and prolonged cough.

Ointments and decoctions are made from mulberry bark to treat certain skin diseases, abrasions, and ulcers. A decoction of mulberry leaves is used as an effective hypoglycemic, multivitamin and tonic. A decoction of mulberry bark and leaves effectively relieves inflammation and heat during colds, cleanses the blood of toxins, stimulates hematopoietic function and helps with anemia, removes excess fluid from the body.

Application of mulberry leaves, bark and wood

In the East, the mulberry tree has always been considered a sacred tree; everything in it, from the berries to the roots, was revered. In ancient China, paper was made from its bark. The medicinal properties of this plant are still used in folk medicine. Bast is used to make cardboard and rope. A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves and bark. In Japan, mulberry is used to make paper for money.

Mulberry wood is highly valued. It is heavy and dense, comparable to beech and oak, easy to process, does not crack or dry out over time, and has a rich texture. That is why musical instruments, amulets, decorative items, dishes, and barrels were made from it in Central Asia. Today, exclusive furniture and expensive parquet are made from mulberry. All products retain their shape perfectly.

Mulberry firewood is generally priceless. When smoked and fried on mulberry wood, the meat acquires a delicate and sweetish taste. But such firewood is practically never available for sale. The leaves are used to feed the silkworm caterpillar, from whose cocoons natural silk is produced.

Thanks to the beauty of their dense crowns, mulberry trees are indispensable in landscape design. Dwarf varieties with a spherical crown and decorative weeping mulberries are used for landscaping parks, gardens, and populated areas. Trees with a pyramidal crown look beautiful as hedges and in group ensembles. The resistance of the leaves to atmospheric pollution allows mulberries to be planted in industrial areas. These low, neat trees have a very powerful root system, so they are planted on slopes to prevent landslides.

Contraindications and harm

Mulberries are beneficial for people of all ages. The only contraindication is individual intolerance, which is very rare. Mulberry is important for the health of expectant mothers. But you should strictly adhere to the norm, eat no more than 250 g of ripe quality berries per day. At the same time, you need to make sure that there is no burden on the kidneys, because mulberry has a diuretic effect.

Mulberries are also beneficial for nursing women. To prevent the pantry of vitamins from harming the baby, berries should be introduced into the menu during this period with caution, a few pieces a day. If a child develops allergies, colic or bloating, it is better to temporarily stop using it.

There are no strict contraindications for use for diabetics, people with low blood pressure and hypertensive patients. These people are advised to consume juicy berries in moderation, then they have a beneficial effect on the body, lowering blood sugar levels and normalizing blood pressure. Overeating can lead to intestinal upset, diarrhea and worsening diabetes symptoms. It is not advisable to eat berries on an empty stomach or drink them with water.

Selection and storage of berries

Mulberry fruits are collected in June–August. Immediately after collection they are sent for processing. If this is not done, then in about a day the yeast fungi living on the surface of the berries will start fermentation processes. Mulberries can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days if the fruits are not too ripe. They cannot be transported fresh.

The technology for drying berries is very labor-intensive. It is no less difficult to preserve the berries without access to moisture after drying. The packaging must be sealed. In winter, you can enjoy the taste of mulberries in the form of dried berries or prepared jam for future use.

Silkworm cocoons

Without this tree, we would not have silk. Progress has risen to unprecedented heights, artificial silk has already been invented, but a full-fledged replacement for mulberry has never been found. The mulberry's talents are not limited to feeding the silkworm. This tree, revered since ancient times, is capable of many things.

tree of life

The mulberry tree, or mulberry, is also known among different peoples under the names here, mulberry, mulberry, tyutina, tutina. This genus is not very extensive and, according to some sources, includes 10 species of trees growing wild in the subtropics of Asia, Africa, and North America.

Mulberry is considered a sacred tree and is highly revered among the peoples of the East. Since ancient times, amulets made from its wood have served as amulets for Eastern women. The mulberry tree is known as the “tree of life”, capable of protecting from evil, and also a symbol of hard work and respect for parents. In China, the mulberry symbolizes the combination of the principles of yin and yang. She is credited with magical powers, the ability to resist evil, and to divert lightning from the garden in which she grows. According to legend, Alexander the Great drank mulberry vodka during his victorious campaign in Persia and India.

But the mulberry tree gained particular fame as a raw material for the production of silk. Only this breed is a complete and favorite food for the silkworm, which has given people the most beautiful, exquisite and prestigious fabric. In ancient times, real dramas played out around the silk issue. And although passions have subsided in our time, a worthy replacement for mulberries has not been found in this matter.

The mulberry tree is considered the “tree of life”, capable of protecting from evil, and also a symbol of hard work and respect for parents. In China, the mulberry symbolizes the combination of the principles of yin and yang.

Silk business

The discovery of silk is credited to Chinese princess Xi Ling Shi. A fateful incident happened around 3000 BC. e. Resting under a mulberry tree, Xi Ling Shi drank tea. A silkworm cocoon fell into her cup and began to bloom into thin iridescent threads in the hot water. Thus, the Chinese empire took possession of the secret of silk production, becoming a monopolist in this industry for many centuries.

China has long kept the secrets of silk production. Actively trading in raw silk and silk fabrics, the empire prohibited the export of herns - silkworm eggs. Attempting such smuggling was punishable by death.

And precious fabrics were transported along the Great Silk Road, which ran through Central Asia to Constantinople.

But everything secret becomes clear. One of the Chinese princesses in the 4th century AD. e., having married the king of Bukhara, she brought him silkworm eggs as a gift, hiding them in her hair. In 552, two monks delivered herns to the Byzantine emperor Justinian in hollow bamboo staves. After the IV Crusade (1203–1204), silkworm eggs came from Constantinople to Venice. In the 14th century, sericulture began to be practiced in the south of France. And in 1596, silkworms began to be bred for the first time in Russia - first near Moscow, in the village of Izmailovo, and over time - in the southern provinces of the empire that were more suitable for this. In doing so, the mulberry tree traveled around the world following the silkworm, eventually conquering many countries on various continents.

mulberry leaves
Silkworm caterpillars
Silkworm butterflies

Life of a Silkworm

Silkworm caterpillars ( Bombyx mori), when pupating, they dress themselves in a silk cocoon, from the threads of which natural silk is woven. One butterfly can lay up to 700 eggs. The silkworms that hatch from them grow for a month, actively feeding, and undergo 4 molts.

And the whole secret is that only mulberry leaves give the caterpillars the ability to produce silk, and young leaves are needed to obtain high-quality raw materials. The worms eat mulberry leaves with such gusto that Pasteur compared the loud crunching sound they make to “the sound of rain falling on trees during a thunderstorm.” Currently, the caterpillars are fed on cut mulberry branches. At the same time, the next year the branches on the tree grow again.

When pupating, the caterpillars weave a cocoon, the shell of which consists of a continuous silk thread up to 1500 m long. In nature, the color of the cocoon can be different: pink, light green, yellow. But only breeds with white cocoons are bred in culture. Unfortunately, the butterflies are not allowed to emerge from the chrysalis. The cocoons are steamed for about two hours, after which the caterpillars die and the cocoons are further processed.

Only mulberry leaves give the caterpillars the ability to produce silk, and young leaves are needed to obtain high-quality raw materials.

From the mulberry family

Mulberry is a deciduous tree from the mulberry family; it reaches a height of 15–20 m. The leaves are simple, lobed, serrated along the edges. The stems and leaves of mulberries contain milky juice.

mulberry tree

Plants are monoecious or dioecious, i.e. male and female flowers are located on different specimens. Unisexual flowers are collected in inflorescences: staminate (male) - in drooping cylindrical spikes, pistillate (female) - in short oval ones on very short peduncles. Male flowers consist of a simple 4-partite perianth and four stamens. Female flowers have the same perianth and pistil with two stigmas. The fruit is a false juicy drupe, up to 3 cm long, red to purple, edible.

Mulberries live up to 300 years, but there are also long-livers. Thus, in Jericho there grows a mulberry tree, under which, according to legend, Jesus Christ sought shade. She is more than 2000 years old.

Black, white, red

Black mulberry (Morus nigra) originally from South-West Asia, where it has long been cultivated for its edible fruits and widely spread throughout Iran, Afghanistan, and Northern India. Blooms in May–June. The fruits are dark purple, almost black, sweet and sour in taste, ripen in July–August.

White mulberry (M. alba) native to the eastern regions of China. It was this type of mulberry tree that was the first to be cultivated as food for silkworm caterpillars. From here began her victorious march across countries and continents. White mulberry spread to Central Asia, India, Pakistan, Iran, and later to Transcaucasia. In Europe, it began to be cultivated in the 12th century. Known in America since the 16th century.

In the 17th century, by order of Alexei Mikhailovich sh. They tried to breed the white one in Moscow, but the climate was too harsh for it. Therefore, they began to cultivate it in the Lower Volga region and the Caucasus.

White mulberry easily runs wild and grows without human help. It blooms in April–May, the fruits are white, pink or red, ripen in June, and taste sickly sweet. This species has many decorative forms: ‘ Pendula' with thin branches drooping to the ground; ‘ Globosa' with a dense spherical crown; ‘ Macrophylla' with large leaves up to 22 cm long; ‘ Aurea' with golden yellow young shoots and leaves.

Red mulberry (M. rubra) is native to eastern North America. The fruits of the tree are dark purple, sweet, aromatic. In terms of frost resistance it surpasses sh. white. Has a decorative shape: felt ‘ Tomentosa’ with white-tomentose leaves on the underside.

For different occasions

Mulberry is used in ornamental plantings, used to strengthen the banks of irrigation canals and reservoirs, and included in forest shelterbelts.

In the old days, mulberry leaves were used to dye fabrics yellow. The wood of this species is dense, elastic, and heavy. It has long been used for the production of musical instruments, dishes, and souvenirs. The inner part of the bark (bast) was used to make ropes and obtain fiber for making coarse fabrics.

Paper was first made from mulberry bast in China. Not so long ago it was believed that in 105 AD. e. Chinese dignitary Cai Lun perfected the process of making paper from crushed mulberry fibers mixed with ash, hemp, rags and water. But archaeological excavations have confirmed that the process of paper production in China was discovered before our era. The paper was obtained from mulberry bast.

Ripe mulberry fruits contain up to 25% sugars, organic acids, tannins, pectin, coloring substances, flavonoids, carotene, vitamins A, C, В 2 , В 9 ,B 4 , RR,E, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, rubber.

Treat and medicine

Ripe mulberry fruits contain up to 25% sugars, organic acids, tannins, pectin, coloring substances, flavonoids, carotene, vitamins A, C, B2, B9, B4, PP, E, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, rubber. In the leaves of sh. Tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, organic acids, resins, essential oils, and sterols were found in white.

Almost all parts of the plant are used in folk medicine. The fruits have antioxidant properties, and an infusion of them is used as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, diaphoretic, and diuretic. Fresh fruits help with stomach ulcers, enterocolitis, dysentery, dysbacteriosis, and diseases of the biliary tract. Syrup from the fruit is used for cardiovascular diseases (myocardiostrophy and heart disease), anemia, as a hemostatic agent for postpartum and uterine bleeding. The infusion is used to gargle and rinse the mouth for inflammatory diseases. Unripe fruits have astringent and antiseptic properties. An infusion of leaves is prescribed as a tonic, antipyretic, vitamin remedy, to lower blood sugar levels. The juice of fresh leaves soothes toothache, and a decoction of the leaves is a good antipyretic. A decoction of the bark helps with heart diseases, it is recommended as an expectorant for bronchitis, asthma, and also as a diuretic for hypertension. The juice of the root bark is an anthelmintic.

But there are also contraindications. Mulberries should be used with caution if you have hypertension, as in hot weather it can cause an increase in blood pressure. People with diabetes should not get carried away with it. Eating large quantities of ripe berries can cause diarrhea. Drinking cold water after eating fresh berries can cause flatulence.

Various types of mulberries are widely used in cooking. The fruits are used to prepare compotes, jam, pie filling, wine, vodka-mulberry, soft drinks, and vinegar. From the juice of ripe fruits. white extract is produced (bekmes). It is eaten with butter mixed with finely crushed walnuts or simply with bread.

Currently, a large number of mulberry varieties and hybrids have been developed. The most prolific variety is ‘Balkha’, from which up to 600 kg of fruits are collected per tree. Many families in the East, even today, traditionally harvest up to 500 kg of dried mulberry fruits per year.

The Legend of the Mulberry

According to legend, the mulberry tree owes its appearance to a magical dress made of thin fabric. It was woven by a silkworm for one girl. The dress was not only beautiful, but also endowed the woman who wore it with special attractiveness. At the same time, she could eat nothing for days. Women passed on magical outfits to each other, and the world was replenished with beauties. But when the next owner of the dress became the king’s wife, she refused to share the dress with anyone. Having learned about this, her friends burst into the palace, tore the dress from the queen’s hands and tore it to shreds. And at that moment the hem of the dress turned into a tree trunk with branches. The shreds of the torn outfit flew up and turned into swollen pinkish buds, from which wide leaves immediately blossomed, forming a lush, dense crown. This is how, according to legend, the mulberry was born.

MULBERRY. GENUSMORUS

Mulberry (mulberry tree, mulberry) is one of the woody plants introduced into culture by man in ancient times, and its importance as a fruit tree or as a source of wood (material for construction and various crafts) was assessed for many centuries as secondary. The mulberry owes its worldwide fame to the silkworm. (Bombyxmori), the caterpillar of which feeds exclusively on the leaves of this plant.

Genus Moms, to which mulberry belongs, is part of the family mulberry(Motseae). This is one of the most interesting families of dicotyledonous plants. In addition to the subject of our article, it includes more than 1,700 species, among which are decorative ficuses, the biblical fig tree, also known as fig, and “breadfruit” and “milk tree”, which are familiar to us only from adventure literature. and jackfruit.

The etymology of the name “mulberry” comes from the word “silk” (silk fabric), since the leaves of this tree were and are fed to silkworms - silkworm caterpillars, which produce natural silk thread. It is assumed that it was borrowed into Russian from the Varangian word silki, meaning “silk”, which, in turn, is probably a re-arrangement of the Latin sericus - “silk”, derived from Seres - the Greek name for China used by the ancients by the Greeks and Romans. It means "silk" or "land of silk". Thus, silk is “fabric from China”, and mulberry is “wood from China”, which quite accurately reflects the essence of things. In the homeland of the most common species, in China, they have been cultivated for over 4,000 years. Another name for the plant - mulberry (tut or tut) - came to us through the Turkic languages, and those, in turn, were borrowed from Arabic, in which tut (tut) means mulberry.

Range and main species

Mulberry, mulberry, here, mulberry,mulberry, Maulbeerbaum, murier, morera etc. at home - a large tree, in colder areas - a small tree or bush. There are several species (about 24) and many cultural forms and varieties of mulberries. Among the most famous species, black mulberry should be noted { Moms nigra), white mulberry (Moms alba) and red mulberry (Moms mbra). Wild species of the genus are distributed in East and Southeast Asia, on the Sunda Islands, in India, as well as in Africa and North America, in temperate, subtropical and partly tropical zones. The homeland of the main source for the current diversity of natural mulberry crops is in China. All types of mulberry are fast-growing deciduous plants. All parts of the mulberry contain milky juice, which is released when tissues are injured. Mulberry flowers are dioecious, collected in earring-shaped inflorescences. The fruits resemble raspberries or blackberries, in some cases they contain seeds, in others they are seedless (in certain cultivars and forms). This is the so-called false complex succulent drupe, 1 to 4 cm long, white, pink, dark purple or almost black.

In culture, the most common and more resistant to cold is white mulberry. (Moms alba) native to Asia Minor and East Asia. A tree up to 10-20 m tall with a dense spherical or spreading crown; in unfavorable conditions it is a shrub. Lives 200-300 years. It is a dioecious plant, but sometimes there are sterile (male) trees, colloquially called “silkweed”. Young branches vary from gray-green to reddish-brown, with light or pale reddish lenticels. The leaves are very interesting: they vary in configuration and size even on the same tree, from entire to lobed. In summer they are dark green, in autumn they are straw yellow. The fruits are quite decorative - sweet, edible, berries of various colors: white, red, black. The taste of the fruit is very variable: some forms have sweet fruit, while others have sour or tasteless fruit. There are many decorative forms - more than 400.

The height of the tree is 16-35 m; The crown is ju-shaped, broadly ovoid, very dense. The bark is brown, acinate. The leaves have early falling stipules, ovate, lobed or crenate along the edges, glabrous. The plants are usually dioecious, less often monoecious, sak and white mulberry; sometimes there are sterile trees. The fruits are large (up to 4 cm), dark red or violet, glossy, sweetish-sour, juicy, very clear.

Red mulberries are considered the largest and juiciest among all. (Moms mbra) found naturally on wax in North America. Tree up to 20 m tall. The bark is brown-brown. The leaves are large, up to 10 cm, ovate, round, long-pointed, very variable, deep-lobed on young ones (with 3-7 lobes), rough on top, sharply serrate along the edge. The fruits are large - 3 cm, on a long stalk, cylindrical, dark red, almost black, juicy, sweet and sour. It is superior to white mulberry in frost resistance, but in other respects it is very similar to it.

TermsgrowthAndculturalbreeding

White mulberry is unpretentious to soil and growing conditions (it grows successfully in city conditions), and its long roots help stabilize slopes and ravines; at a young age it easily tolerates transplantation, is drought-resistant, salt-tolerant, and does not tolerate waterlogging. This species can withstand frosts down to -30°C, and when young branches freeze after pruning, they quickly grow back and restore fruiting. For mulberries, it is not so much frost that is dangerous as a lack of heat. White mulberry is grown by gardeners and as an ornamental plant: there are many garden forms with weeping, pyramidal, spherical, multi-stemmed, dwarf crown and a variety of leaves (large, small, narrow, concave, dissected, and also golden in color). Propagated mainly by seeds and less often by cuttings or layering. Seed propagation is preferable for obtaining forms with new characteristics (fruit quality, fruiting pattern, frost resistance), but half of the seedlings will be male plants that do not produce fruit, and the other half will begin to bear fruit in the 6-7th year of life. Cuttings allow you to quickly obtain a fruit-bearing plant with the qualities of the fruit known in advance. Cuttings take root in vermiculite, soil, water, sand, as with most plants of the mulberry family (ficus, etc.), propagating mulberries by cuttings does not pose any significant problem. It is also possible to graft two- to three-year-old seedlings in order to obtain a varietal plant on a powerful frost-resistant rootstock. The grafting can be done in any way, keeping in mind only the need to remove the milky juice. Green cuttings are especially effective - the survival rate reaches 80-90%. Lignified cuttings root less well. A cutting with two or three buds of any thickness (from three millimeters to one and a half centimeters) should be rooted; it is not necessary to remove the leaves. You can also root an autumn cutting from a plant that has gone into hibernation, but then the plant will be weaker, since without going through the dormant period, it is forced to re-enter the growing season.

The seeds are collected, washed from any remaining pulp on the day of collection, since a delay of 1-2 days leads to an almost complete loss of germination, and dried in the shade at room temperature. After this, they are sown without stratification, sometimes sowing is done in the spring, in early April, after 45-60 days of stratification. The first is preferable. Seed germination is maintained throughout the year. For the middle band, the following sequence of actions is recommended. If there are a significant number of seeds, they are sown in greenhouses. It is better to sow small quantities in boxes with medium-grained washed river sand. The depth of embedding is 0.5 cm. After this, the surface is mulched with humus or peat. Make sure that the mulch does not dry out. In the phase of the first true leaf, seedlings dive into a school with a placement of 20-50 cm, or even better - in a greenhouse. When transplanting, the tap root is pinched. In the first year, they usually grow 20-35 cm high. In the fall, it is better to dig up the seedlings and bury them in the basement. You can leave them in the schoolhouse, but then you should cover them with fallen leaves to prevent the soil from freezing. In the spring, seedlings are removed from the trench or dug out from the school and planted in beds for growing for 2-3 years, with a spacing of 20-50 cm, after which they are planted in a permanent place. Non-winter-hardy specimens are discarded. When planting in a permanent place, the above-ground part is greatly shortened and, if necessary, damaged roots are trimmed. The tree should be well lit and protected from cold northern winds. Only already acclimatized forms can be propagated vegetatively - by layering, green and lignified cuttings, and grafting.

In the south of Russia next spring, young plants can be planted in a permanent place. Seedlings that have grown over the summer can overwinter without shelter. In the spring of next year, they must be shaded until summer to avoid drying out of the branches, which can occur as a result of their overheating by the sun in unheated cold soil. In such soil, the root system still does not cope well with the supply of nutrients. Mulberry can grow in almost any soil, except swamp. But it bears fruit well (almost annually) only on fertile soils with sufficient lighting and protection from northern and eastern winds. The mulberry crown is usually formed to a height of 2-3 m. Up to 100 kg of fruit can be collected from a 10-year-old tree. The fruits do not ripen at the same time, so almost the entire growing season the plants are strewn with berries, as is the ground beneath them. Most species do not hold ripe berries, and in hot weather it begins to “rain” berries. This is especially unpleasant when the berries are dark red or black in color - when they get on clothes and even skin, they leave “ink” stains that are difficult to wash off. Mulberry forms a beautiful dense crown and lives well in urban conditions, so benches are often installed in its shade, but local residents, well familiar with its features, are in no hurry to take places on benches in the dense shade of this tree in hot weather. Mulberry is cultivated in the subtropics, in Central Asia and Transcaucasia, in the south of Ukraine, in Russia, mainly in the North Caucasus, although some cold-resistant specimens are also found at the latitude of the Moscow region.

For spring feeding of silkworms, one-year-old branches are cut off from mulberries every year, and for summer-autumn feeding, the top third of newly grown shoots is cut off. Every 4-5 years, the mulberry is given a year of rest.

DiseasesAndpests

The most common diseases of mulberry: bacteriosis, cylindrosporiosis, powdery mildew, root rot, curly small leaves. Pests: mulberry moth, mole cricket, beetleworm, wireworm, mulberry longhorned beetle, spider mite. However, they do not cause serious damage to plantings.

MulberryVsection

Mulberry is a ring-vascular species with a very narrow (3-5 annual layers) yellowish-white sapwood, sharply separated from the reddish-brown core.

When exposed to light, the wood darkens and becomes dark brown. The annual layers are clearly visible; the vessels of the early zone are large, often clogged with white tills; in the late zone, small vessels and parenchyma cells first form small groups in the form of light dots, and in wide layers closer to the outer border - short lines parallel to the layer. The medullary rays are narrow, but quite clearly visible, and in cross section they are lighter than the surrounding wood.

The beautiful texture, pleasant color and shine of mulberry wood make household and carpentry products made from it particularly attractive.

Physico-mechanicalAndtechnologicalproperties

Mulberry wood is strong, tough, and heavy. At standard humidity, its density is 600-700 kg/m3.

Mulberries are classified as low-drying species. During the process of chamber drying, it shows a slight tendency to crack and warp, but the drying process itself is quite long. Properly dried mulberry wood ensures good stability of shape and size when using products made from it. Water absorption is low, which makes it difficult to impregnate it with protective compounds. In terms of strength, mulberry wood is practically not inferior to oak and beech wood.

The tensile strength at static bending for white mulberry wood is 99.1 MPa; when compressed along the fibers - 55.4 MPa (humidity 12%). Mulberry belongs to the hard type. Its static hardness indicators look like this:

• end hardness - 61.3 N/mm 2;
• radial hardness - 51.1 N/mm 2;
• tangential hardness - 56.6 N/mm 2.
• Elastic modulus - 9.23 GPa.

It is well processed with a cutting tool, is perfectly ground and polished, holds fasteners well, and glues well. Accepts stains and stains satisfactorily, and is well painted and varnished.

The biostability and resistance to climatic factors of mulberry wood is satisfactory, so it is recommended to be used for products used indoors.

Regionapplications

Sericulture and silk weaving. As noted above, mulberry cultivation forms the basis of industrial sericulture. At the same time, the “producer” of raw materials for the production of natural silk is silkworm(Bombyx mori), or silkworm, - caterpillar and butterfly. The caterpillar feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves.

The silkworm is the only fully domesticated insect that is not found in nature in the wild and is completely dependent on humans. Female butterflies even “forgot how” to fly. The adult insect is a thick butterfly with whitish wings with a span of up to 6 cm.

During the larval stage of their lives, the caterpillars continuously eat leaves, and with such a loud crunch that it is compared to the sound of rain falling on trees during a thunderstorm. Precious threads are obtained from caterpillar cocoons - dense shells similar to tiny eggs. The cocoons, which mulberry caterpillars tightly curl around themselves before turning into a pupa, are collected 8-9 days after the start of curling and transferred for primary processing. Its goal is to kill the pupa and unwind the cocoon thread, the length of which is from 300 to 3000 m. It is thin, like a spider’s web (20-30 microns), so several cocoon threads are connected together and raw silk threads are obtained, with which you can already work - weave silk fabric. The silk thread has a triangular cross-section and, like a prism, reflects light, which is why silk fabrics shimmer so beautifully.

According to most ancient written sources, the emergence of sericulture in China was associated with the name of the main wife of the legendary Emperor Huang Ti, named Lei-ji, from a family of names, who taught the people sericulture and agriculture. This legend has long been known in the West, and almost every work on the history of sericulture begins with the mention of the name Lei Chi.

Archaeological finds indicate that wild silkworm threads were first used in silk production. Then they began to cultivate it, and the threads became smoother and the quality improved. Over time, the technology for producing fabric improved: silk began to be dyed, and before dyeing it was washed, boiled and bleached. Seneca wrote about shiny, soft threads of silk brought from China and growing on trees. And Pezanis, a famous traveler and geographer, believed that silk, like cobwebs, was produced by giant beetles. In the 4th century, another attempt was made to explain the nature of silk, which was perceived as a phenomenon in Europe. The Roman historian Ammianus Marceplinus claimed that in China the soil was as soft as wool and, after watering and cultivating, could be used to form silk fabrics. Sincere belief in such nonsense is not surprising: in Ancient China, the secret of obtaining silk fibers and fabrics was carefully guarded for several thousand years. The Chinese made every effort to prevent silkworm eggs and mulberry seeds from being taken out of the country. The authorities even punished with death any attempt to export grenades (that is, eggs) of silkworms or adult insects outside the country.

But everything secret someday becomes clear. In the 4th-6th centuries, silk production ceased to be a monopoly of China, and Central Asia, Korea, Japan, and India became familiar with it. Almost nothing is known about whether sericulture originated in these countries independently or penetrated from China, and if it was borrowed, then in what way. There are only numerous legends and assumptions on this score.

Sericulture, in all likelihood, came to Europe (initially to Spain) through Byzantium and Arab countries. Until the 8th century, silk was known in many countries, but only as a product brought from distant countries. Sericulture, in the proper sense of the word, became widespread in Europe only in the 13th century. In 1599, the French agronomist Olivier de Serres published the first manual on sericulture in Europe.

In Russia, the first steps towards creating their own silk weaving craft were taken at the end of the 16th century, under Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, who wished to invite the Italian master Mark Ciponi, who knew how to weave velvet and brocade, to Moscow. In pre-Petrine Russia, attempts to establish their own silk weaving production with the involvement of European craftsmen were made repeatedly with varying degrees of success. Russia did not have its own sericulture for a very long time, so raw silk was imported from abroad, mostly by Armenian merchants.

It was only during the period of Peter the Great’s reforms that silk weaving became noticeably stronger. The establishment of fairly large mulberry plantations in Astrakhan also dates back to this period. In 1740, there were 26 silk weaving and one cane manufactories in Moscow. The establishment in 1757 of new, higher customs duties on imported silk products and the abolition of the permit system by Catherine II caused a new growth of silk weaving establishments. At the same time, Moscow and Astrakhan retained their role as centers of the silk weaving industry. The centuries-old experience of wool and linen weaving accumulated by the people made it possible to transfer the production of many simple types of silk fabrics to the villages, and already at the end of the 18th century, handicrafts constituted serious competition for manufactories.

Sericulture developed more slowly, and in the 19th century factories mainly continued to work on imported raw materials, and Italian raw silk was used for the best fabrics.

They bought Transcaucasian and Persian silk for wefting and production of average-quality fabrics. The largest silk-weaving enterprise of pre-revolutionary times was the Silk Manufactory Partnership in Moscow, founded in 1881 on the basis of two silk establishments. The factory produced velvet, plush, foulard, faille, satin, brocade, glaze, ribbons and various types of furniture fabrics. In Soviet times, silk production and silk weaving developed mainly in the republics of Central Asia and the Transcaucasus. However, the high labor intensity of production. - the production of natural silk led to the fact that it was gradually replaced by fabrics made from artificial fibers.

Wood.

In a number of areas of China, where mulberry grows not only on plantations, but in the wild, it, along with Ka-alpa ovate, is the most important source of wood. The high quality of mulberry wood allows it to be used for the production of furniture, including for inlays, for interior decoration, in particular for the manufacture of parquet and other floor coverings, in cooperage, for various turning products, musical instruments, household items, artistic crafts.

Extracts obtained from mulberry wood are used to dye fabrics yellow. Ropes and ropes are woven from bast fibers, and baskets are made from young branches.

Fruit.

Mulberry fruits are juicy, sweet or sweet and sour, contain up to 22% Sugars (mainly monosaccharides), 1.5% nitrogenous substances, 0.1% phosphoric acid. They are used for food in fresh or dried form, and syrup (bekmez) is also prepared. Fresh fruits are used to make marshmallows, jam, syrup, wine, and vinegar. The dry remains after squeezing the juice are used as a coffee substitute. Dried fruits are ground and added to flour for baking flat cakes. Dried fruits are very tasty, they are stored for a long time and replace sugar.

Landscaping.

Thanks to its unpretentiousness, as well as its beautiful and dense tent-shaped crown, mulberry is used in landscaping, as a drought-resistant species - in protective afforestation in arid regions.

"DEREVO.RU" 4/2009

I noticed that children especially love it. But adults also adore it and use it as a filling for delicious pies, making soft drinks, as well as wine and vodka-mulberry. The berry is stored for a long time, it can be dried and made into wonderful jams, delicious compotes and other useful preparations that can please you in winter. And the topic of my story will be: mulberry: benefits and harm to health.

What kind of berry is it?

Its size is approximately 2-3 centimeters and it has a pleasant smell. It is a fleshy and overgrown perianth, and looks a little like a blackberry or, only more elongated, rounded and large.

What color is mulberry?

If anyone doesn’t already know, there are several types of it. The berry can be white and black or dark purple: they are more common, but there is also a red mulberry. Black is somewhat more common in Russia. It has a sweet taste, a little sour, which many people like, and a pleasant aroma.

The berry is native to the southern and western regions of Asia. But I heard that red varieties were brought from North America. The disadvantage of black ones is, perhaps, their corrosive juice, which can seriously stain clothes, which are then extremely difficult to wash. But the white one doesn’t get dirty at all. Moreover, they say that its juice perfectly cleanses the skin of black mulberry stains.

Where does mulberry grow?

I most often saw trees with the fruits of this berry on the outskirts of cities, where private houses were comfortably located. They are planted near the road, and everyone who passes by can eat the berries.

What difficulties may you encounter when harvesting mulberries? The difficulty is that its fruits ripen gradually. Some of them have already filled with juices and are ripe, so they quickly fall to the ground, while others are still hanging green on the branches and are too early to collect.

When is it time to eat?

It all depends on the region. In the southern parts of Russia it can be fully ripened by the beginning of June. And hundreds of kilometers to the north, as far as I know, it ripens several weeks later.

Medicinal properties of mulberry berries and leaves

Mulberry trees come from the southern regions, but today, through the efforts of breeders, more frost-resistant varieties have been developed. That is why we all got the opportunity to feast on berries in the middle zone, having the pleasure of a delicious product regardless of the climate zone.

Initially, the trees on which this berry grows were used to raise silkworms. This is a special type of caterpillar that feeds on the leaves of this tree. This is where its name comes from. The plant has also been famous since ancient times for its healing properties, which were successfully used in folk remedies to treat a huge variety of diseases. The fruits of the tree are not only tasty and juicy, but also incredibly healthy, containing vitamins, valuable substances and rare microelements.

What exactly are the benefits of berries for humans?

Simply huge! The substances it contains have a most beneficial effect on almost all organs of our body.

Mulberry is an excellent antidepressant. A decoction of dried berries is an excellent remedy for relieving nervous tension, which helps with stress. And in difficult periods of life, using it gives you the opportunity to collect your thoughts.

The berry is an excellent remedy for insomnia, influencing the strengthening of all organs. Mulberry practically has a rejuvenating effect on the aging body, can improve vision and helps with retinal lesions.

The berry perfectly cures heart diseases. It can reduce shortness of breath, lower blood pressure, and stimulate blood circulation. Mulberry has a beneficial effect on the digestive organs, bringing invaluable benefits for intestinal diseases. Ripe berries relieve constipation, having a laxative effect. Green fruits, on the contrary, strengthen you.

In addition, the berries perfectly treat colds, and relieve inflammation in sore throats no worse than raspberries. And from the leaves of the tree itself you can prepare an excellent decoction, which helps relieve fever by lowering body temperature.

Contraindications and harm to the body

Having listed so many advantages of mulberry, in the end I would like to note that it has practically no harmful properties and restrictions for use.

So there's no harm? Not really. Despite its undoubted advantages, it is also necessary to warn about its unpleasant features. You should not overeat yourself with this berry, because such intemperance can cause stomach upset and have the most disgusting effect on the functioning of the intestines, causing diarrhea.

At the same time, it is better to immediately take into account the characteristics of the body of the one who decided to thoroughly enjoy this delicious gift of nature. The fruits of the mulberry tree are quite capable of causing allergies. In addition, doctors advise not to abuse the product if you have diabetes and hypertension. And since the berry reduces blood pressure, as already mentioned, for those who already have low blood pressure, it is better to be especially careful.

And I also want to warn you that it is better to pay special attention to the place where the berries are collected. If you collect mulberries from trees that grow near busy highways or within polluted cities, instead of enjoying the beautiful fruits, you can get a decent dose of toxic substances.

Mulberry is a truly healthy and tasty berry, but it is better to consume this wonderful gift of nature in moderation.

In conclusion, I would like to say goodbye and thank you for your attention. I really hope that the story about the wonderful mulberry turned out to be interesting and that you liked it. Subscribe to blog updates, share your impressions and news that you learned today with your friends and acquaintances on social networks, and also leave your comments. All the best!

Best regards, Vladimir Manerov

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