Black mulberry. Black mulberry: description, features of care and cultivation

Hi all! We continue to introduce you to medicinal plants. This material contains black mulberry. Treatment with black mulberry at home, useful and medicinal properties, methods of application and recipes, useful tips. So, let's begin!

What you will learn from this material:

Black mulberry description

Black mulberry is a fruit tree common in many Asian and European countries. Black mulberry is included in the genus Mulberry, which belongs to the mulberry family. Today, the tree is highly valued, and not only due to the usefulness and exquisite taste of the fruit.

The black mulberry is used to raise silkworms, or silkworms, which produce silk threads to create natural fabric. In addition, in Asia they practice growing black mulberry to obtain valuable and durable wood from which musical instruments are made.

This practice was also common in Russia before, but when the number of plants began to noticeably decline, environmentalists sounded the alarm. Since 2011, a ban on the harvesting and use of black mulberry wood has come into force in the Russian Federation.

In addition to the above, mulberry is a famous delicacy and is also an indispensable medicinal product, since the leaves of the tree have a pronounced medicinal effect and have been used since ancient times for healing and in the treatment of certain diseases.

According to the Taoist practice of Feng Shui, dinner table, a gazebo or bench for relaxing in the yard should be located precisely under the black mulberry. According to Eastern teachings, this promotes harmony, peace and prosperity - when a family gathers at a table located under this tree, it receives a positive energy charge to strengthen relationships and success in life.

What does black mulberry look like?

Surely, almost everyone knows what black mulberry looks like and many even grow it beautiful tree on their own garden plots. Despite the fact that the tree comes from the warm countries of Asia, it surprisingly easily tolerates harsh climates and is grown in almost all regions. It is also often found in the wild in the south of Russia and the central zone. What black mulberry looks like - let's look at a detailed botanical description of this plant.

• Black mulberry is a perennial tree with a developed, growing, knotty rhizome.
• The average height of the tree is 7-8 meters, the maximum height is 13-15 meters.
• The leaves of the tree are heart-shaped, quite large, and jagged at the edges.
• Flowering begins in April-May, and fruiting occurs in June. Tiny paniculate inflorescences with small greenish-white flowers.
• The fruits, that is, the black mulberry berries, are juicy, up to 3 cm in length, depending on the variety. The sap contains a dark purple pigment that strongly stains the skin.

Mulberries growing in the wild usually have small berries, while domestic varieties have larger berries. However, small berries of wild mulberries have a richer composition and have a pronounced sweetish taste.

Medicinal properties of black mulberry

Most often, mulberry fruits and leaves are used for treatment, but some recipes traditional medicine require the use of tree bark. The medicinal properties of black mulberry are due to the fact that all parts of the plant are rich in biologically active substances. However, the plant is not a pharmacopoeial plant and is not included in the list of officially recognized medicinal plants. But centuries-old folk experience shows that black mulberry is really good for health and can cope with some diseases quite successfully. Let's consider full list medicinal properties of the plant.

• Black mulberry is an indispensable remedy for viral infections. It has a pronounced antiviral and immune-modeling effect, stimulates the production of interferon and protects the body from the harmful effects of viruses during colds, ARVI, herpes and other viral diseases.
• Mulberry has the ability to restore normal blood composition - normalizes the functioning of the hematopoietic organs, and due to its content ascorbic acid and iron, it increases hemoglobin and helps to recover from illnesses.
• Mulberry stimulates the functioning of the stomach and other organs of the digestive system.
• Mulberry – universal remedy for problems with blood pressure. It is universal because one part of the tree lowers the plant, while others, when used correctly, can raise it.
• Mulberry is an ideal anti-aging remedy, as it contains antioxidants that prevent premature aging and neutralize the destructive effects of time on the body and appearance.
• Mulberries, despite their high content of various sugars, are very useful for people suffering from diabetes mellitus. It evens out the production of enzymes and lowers blood sugar levels.
• Mulberry helps solve vision problems and improves blood supply to eye tissue.
• Mulberry has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, protects it, improves neuronal conductivity, reduces the level of stress reactions, and helps with excessive irritability, anxiety, and apathy.
• Mulberry has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, however, for some problems with the heart and blood vessels, it is contraindicated - read about this below.
• Mulberry is a multivitamin berry; 100 grams of berries contain the daily norm of microelements and vitamins necessary for the functioning of the body.
• The plant helps with diarrhea, has a pronounced astringent effect and normalizes intestinal function.
• The bark and leaves of the plant are used to restore and treat the skin. Helps with various types dermatitis, mulberry is indispensable for allergic rashes.
• Mulberry has antipyretic and diaphoretic properties, cleanses the body.
• Mulberry protects the kidneys from the formation of stones and has a diuretic effect.

In addition to the medicinal properties of black mulberry described above, the plant is also useful as a food product and is not only therapeutic, but also a prophylactic agent.

Contraindications

Uses of mulberry medicinal purposes It is highly not recommended if there are contraindications. Therapeutic effect is possible only in cases where the body normally tolerates the active substances contained in herbal remedies. Details about contraindications are below - a list of all diseases and conditions for which treatment with black mulberry is prohibited.

• Mulberries, especially sweet varieties, should not be used for hypertension - they greatly increase blood pressure.
• If you have diabetes, you should limit your consumption of fruits because they contain a lot of sugar. The daily norm is no more than 40-50 grams.
• If you have heart disease accompanied by cyanosis, you should not eat mulberries.
• Mulberry is contraindicated for irritable bowel syndrome.
• Use berries with caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is important to first discuss each new product in your diet with your doctor. In the normal course of pregnancy in the second trimester, mulberry will only bring benefits.

It is especially dangerous to use mulberry for medicinal purposes in case of allergic reactions to this product. Individual intolerance is a categorical contraindication to the consumption of fruits and treatment with other parts of the plant.

Collection and preparation

Harvesting black mulberry raw materials requires the right approach and knowledge of several nuances. It is important to collect at a time when the greatest amount of valuable substances accumulates in plant materials. Let's consider the rules for collecting and harvesting black mulberry.

• The use of plant buds and twigs is widespread - they contain tannins and have a pronounced choleretic, antitussive and diuretic effect. The collection of twigs and buds begins in the spring - young shoots are cut, crushed and dried until brittle.
• Mulberry leaves are full useful substances throughout the season, but it is better to collect them when the tree is actively blooming. The drying principle is standard.
• The bark of the tree is cut off after the end of the fruiting season or in early spring. The bark must dry until brittle, after which it is ground into powder and stored in a closed container.
• The berries are picked during the ripe season and can be preserved different ways. Mulberries are frozen, canned, and dried. The best option– juicing or freezing.

The shelf life for all types of raw materials is 1.5-2 years. Storage conditions are standard - a room with moderate humidity and air temperature from 5 to 30 degrees.

If you were picking black mulberries and forgot to put on gloves first so as not to get dirty, do not rush to rub the code with all known detergents. Stains from black mulberry can be easily rubbed off the skin and washed off clothes with white mulberry juice!

Growing

Contrary to the common myth that mulberries grow only in the south, many people grow them in regions with unfavorable climates and cold winters. In fact, black mulberry adapts better to harsh climates than white mulberry, but only if you know a few secrets of planting and care. So let's consider general rules for growing black mulberry.

• Black mulberry reproduces well by vegetative and seed methods. But, it is better to plant using cuttings or ready-made seedlings - then fruiting will begin much earlier. Trees planted from seeds need about 7-10 years to develop and begin to bear fruit, and seedlings will begin to bear fruit in 5-6 years.
• Sprouts are planted in open, sunny areas with fertile soil, first digging it up and supplementing the composition with organic fertilizers.
• If you plan to grow in regions with harsh winters, it is better to bring a mulberry sprout from the forest. The fact is that wild black mulberry tolerates frosts more easily and does not die, like varietal or hybrid ones. Over time, when the tree gets stronger, it will be possible to vaccinate.

A young tree must be carefully insulated for the winter and watered with the same frequency as other fruit trees. Mulberry does not tolerate waterlogging or prolonged drought. Fertilizing is done twice a year - in spring and summer, before fruit formation begins.

Directions for use and recipes

Various beneficial and medicinal properties of black mulberry have been listed above, and now we will look at best recipes and ways to use plant materials in order to obtain maximum therapeutic power from this plant. So, let’s look at how and for what diseases black mulberry is used.

Black mulberry for anemia and loss of strength

Treatment of anemia with mulberries is very effective, however, the problem is that only fresh berries or juice are suitable for these purposes. Exactly the same recipe is used for exhaustion, loss of strength or chronic fatigue. So, how to take mulberry to restore hemoglobin and vital energy?

• To treat anemia, drink a glass of juice with a teaspoon of honey 3 times a day before meals. Be sure to include animal products in your diet - eggs, milk, meat.
• For chronic fatigue, eat 50 grams of berries or fresh juice in the same volume on an empty stomach for 2 weeks.
• Drink a glass of canned mulberry juice 3-5 times a day, adding honey or mixing with grape juice.

Mulberry for cough

Taking black mulberry in different ways is beneficial dosage forms. Recipes for popular cough remedies from this plant:

• Brew 2 tablespoons of dry leaves with 400 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 1 hour and drink 50 ml.
• Dry berries are crushed into powder, a teaspoon is brewed with a glass of boiling water and 100 ml are drunk warm. The cough goes away in 3-5 days.

Mulberry for kidney treatment

A decoction of black mulberry twigs is made as an anti-inflammatory and diuretic. The crushed raw materials are first poured cold, 2 tablespoons per 1 liter, boiled and drunk 200 ml 3 times a day. Do not use for severe edema or if red blood cells are detected in the urine.

Mulberry to normalize blood pressure

Black mulberry is a universal plant that is suitable for both hypotensive and hypertensive patients. Let's look at the recipes.

• For low blood pressure, take 50 ml of fresh juice in the morning for 3 weeks.
• For high blood pressure, brew twigs with buds, 1 tablespoon per 400 ml, boil for 3-5 minutes and drink throughout the day instead of water.

Mulberry infusion for colds

Mulberry is a reliable antiviral agent and can be used for colds. Berry juice – the best option. It is heated to room temperature or diluted with warm, boiled water, adding honey. Drink before meals!

Tincture for diabetes

Eating is contraindicated for diabetics large quantity berries due to the high concentration of sugars in them. But you can normalize blood sugar levels and cope with the negative consequences of diabetes with the help of alcohol tincture. Dried berries pour alcohol in a 1:1 ratio, leave for 2 weeks and take the resulting tincture 1 teaspoon 2 times a day, in the mornings and evenings.

Mulberry for dandruff

For dandruff, rinsing the head with an infusion of black mulberry leaves is useful, and the juice from fresh leaves is rubbed into the scalp as a mask, using a massage brush to improve blood circulation. Keep the mask on the scalp for at least 15 minutes, repeat 2 times a week. Rinses can be used daily

Mulberry for the nervous system

For epilepsy, neuroses, sleep disorders and depression, take mulberry juice for up to 60 days. Start with one tablespoon 3 times a day, gradually increasing the dose, reaching 1 glass per dose and gradually decreasing the amount in reverse order. If you are stressed, tea made from mulberry leaves and twigs with honey will help you end a bad day.

Growing in the garden. These are apple trees, pears, cherries, plums and cherries. However, the mulberry tree is quite rare in it. But in the recent past it was very popular and affordable. The older generation of gardeners can tell a lot about useful plant, which has now become exotic.

Varieties

An amazing long-liver from China. It has long been grown as a fodder crop. The leaves of the tree served as food for the silkworm, a producer of raw materials for making unique fabric. Gardeners grow the mulberry tree, which belongs to the genus Morus, not for silk production, but as an ornamental and fruit crop. The genus consists of twenty-four species. Of these, the fruit-bearing ones are white and black mulberries, distinctive characteristic which is the color of the bark of an adult plant. Many gardeners mistakenly believed that mulberries are distinguished by the color of the berries. However, this is not at all true.

White mulberry has light color bark. But the berries can be white, cream, pink, purple or completely black. The numerous genus Morus is represented by dioecious and less commonly monoecious trees. Most of them are heat-loving plants that can be grown in southern regions. Only white mulberry in the middle zone does not freeze, grows well and bears fruit.

Description

Not every fruit plant can boast of its longevity. Over the course of two hundred or even three hundred years, the mulberry will give birth, without changing its qualities over time. The spreading tree reaches a height of twenty to thirty-five meters. It is often formed in the form of a two- or three-meter bush. The bark is light. The spherical crown is densely covered with oval foliage.

Cola-shaped inflorescences mulberry tree small. They have a light green color. Dioecious or less commonly wind pollinated. The fruits of the drupe are formed in the form of small fruits. They have a pleasant sweetish taste. Depending on the variety, the berries can be painted in different colors. White mulberries ripen between May and July. It bears fruit in the fifth year after planting. Productivity is high. The berry picking period is somewhat extended due to unfriendly ripening. They are non-transportable and poorly stored; they are used immediately after removal.

This mulberry tree is winter-hardy and drought-resistant. These qualities characterize the plant as quite hardy and unpretentious. It is suitable for areas with any type of soil. In addition to these advantages, the mulberry tree is medicinal plant. The fruits have a high content of vitamins. In addition, they contain flavonoid, morin, carotene, fatty acids, and iron salts. Medicinal properties It’s not just berries that have it. The bark and leaves of the tree are also used for medicinal purposes.

Mulberry varieties

White mulberry can act as a fodder, fruit and ornamental crop. They are presented different varieties, differing in individual properties.

Thus, among the fruit-bearing varieties, white honey mulberry is quite attractive. It is characterized by relative frost resistance and unpretentiousness, resistance to diseases. A tall deciduous tree with a wide crown. The simple oval leaves are light green. Inflorescences are spike-shaped. Juicy fruits are white in color.

The taste is good. The long harvest begins at the end of June. Uneven fruit ripening lasts until early August. Fresh berries are stored for no more than six hours. They practically do not tolerate transportation.

Mulberry white variety Baroness is a deciduous plant. The dense, well-leafed crown has a spherical shape. Flowers are dioecious. They are light in color and form a spike-shaped inflorescence. Large berries, 3.5 cm in size and 1.5 cm in diameter, are densely colored black. The aromatic, complex drupe has a sweet, pleasant taste. Unlike the previous variety, the fruits are relatively transportable. The shelf life is twelve hours. The variety is high-yielding.

The berry picking period is June-July. This mulberry is an unpretentious plant with high frost resistance. Mulberry winters well.

Mulberry Smuglyanka is a tall spreading tree that has a pyramidal crown. Large fruits reach three centimeters. Black berries are very juicy. The taste is excellent. The slightly sour taste does not spoil the berries. This variety is less winter-hardy than Baroness. In winter, the branches may freeze slightly. Unpretentious plant has high yield. The fruits ripen at the beginning of July.

Except fruit species, there are more than four hundred decorative forms. Mulberry varieties differ in the shape and color of the crown and foliage. These are spectacular plants that are used in landscape design. The tree and shrub compositions, alleys and which include mulberry trees are beautiful. Their openwork crown goes well with evergreens.

Weeping white mulberry

A low-growing tree or shrub reaches a height and width of up to three meters. It has a very decorative appearance. The elongated mulberry branches hang down. This form is indispensable in landscape design and will decorate any garden.

The dark green large leaves, which can be from eight to twenty centimeters long, are heart-shaped. IN autumn period they turn yellow. The flowering period occurs in May-June. The mulberry bears few fruits. They are edible and have a pleasant sweetish taste.

In addition, there are spherical, dissect-leaved, Tatar and golden forms of white mulberry. Each of them has its own advantages and is widely used for single or group plantings.

Landing

Often, summer residents do not dare to plant mulberry trees, since space is limited in a small area. “Is my garden suitable for fashionable exoticism?” - this is the question that arises among gardeners when choosing one or another variety of long-lived giant.

Growing mulberries involves several ways to shape the plant, which will limit the height. A tall, powerful, spreading tree requires a larger feeding area. Mulberries are planted according to a 5 x 6 m pattern. When the height of the mulberry is limited and grown as a bush, the pattern is different and is 2 x 3 m. White mulberry is unpretentious. It grows equally well in unfavorable urban conditions and in suburban areas. summer cottages. The corner of the garden in which the mulberries will grow should be well lit. Planting and caring for mulberry trees follows generally accepted rules for fruit trees. Seedlings are planted in early spring. The planting location should be such as not to damage it. For better rooting, a mixture of humus and sand is added to the hole. Water the planting hole generously and sprinkle it with soil. The soil around the trunk of the seedling is mulched with peat. In the autumn, planting is carried out one and a half months before the onset of frost.

Agricultural technology

Care consists of removing weeds, loosening the soil and regular watering. It is especially important to monitor newly planted plants. Weeds that are destructive to plants are not allowed. Regular weeding and mulching with humus or peat will contribute to their normal and rapid growth. During the summer season organic and mineral fertilizers. This agrotechnical technique is very important for the normal development of mulberries and obtaining good harvests. Fertilizers are applied during bud break. For one square meter you need fifty grams of nitrophoska. After applying the fertilizer, water the soil vigorously. At the beginning of July, watering is stopped. Feeding should also not be carried out during this period. Increased nutrition will promote the growth of young shoots, which will freeze out in winter.

Trimming

To prevent the tree from growing tall and looking well-groomed, its crown is shaped, limiting its growth to three meters. In addition, last year's young growths may freeze slightly in winter. They need to be removed. Mulberry pruning has no individual characteristics. Sanitary and rejuvenating techniques are carried out, which are carried out following generally accepted recommendations for mulberry trees that tolerate pruning well. This intake should be regular. The crown is thinned annually. In this case, diseased, damaged and weak branches must be removed. Crossing shoots are also trimmed.

Obtaining seed material

White mulberries ripen in summer. Ripe fruits are suitable for obtaining seeds. After harvesting, some of the berries are left in the sun. They are slightly overripe. Then they are placed in a container for several days.

Juicy fruits should sour. Next they are ground in water. Full-bodied seeds sink to the bottom of the container. This mass is rubbed through a fine sieve. The resulting seeds are dried. They must be used within a year. They quickly lose their viability.

Seed propagation

Several methods are used to obtain young plants. Seed propagation is possible. This method begins with stratification. The seeds are kept at a temperature of zero or five degrees for a month. The greenhouse is pre-prepared. In early April, mulberries will be sown in it. Reproduction in this way allows you to have forty-centimeter seedlings already in the autumn.

Grafting on frost-resistant rootstock

To preserve the maternal characteristics of a particular variety, vaccination will be more effective. This method is more complex. It requires careful selection of material for propagation. Winter mulberry grafting is quite often used. Young plants are used as rootstock frost-resistant varieties mulberries grown from seeds. They are dug up and stored in damp sawdust. The storage temperature should be zero degrees. Scions are also stored in damp sawdust. After vaccination planting material placed in boxes and kept at a temperature of twenty-five degrees. After this, they are stored in damp sawdust at zero temperature until spring.

Mulberry grafting into spring period performed on last year's rootstocks. This event occurs during the period before bud break. Cuttings taken in the fall are used. They are stored throughout the winter in damp sawdust at zero temperature.

You can also vaccinate in the summer. To do this, use the current year's blanks.

Propagation by green cuttings

Planting material is harvested in the second decade of June. Suitable green shoots are at least fifteen centimeters long. They are cut from non-lignified branches. The blanks are processed by removing the lower leaves and shortening the upper ones by half. Before rooting, the cuttings are kept for six hours in an aqueous solution of heteroauxin.

Or they are placed in a mixture of sand and peat, which is moistened with this solution. Green cuttings are rooted in closed ground. The main condition is high air humidity. To create a greenhouse effect, cover with plastic film.

Diseases and pests

Like any crop, white mulberry is susceptible to infection. It can be affected by diseases such as bacteriosis, powdery mildew and root rot.

In the spring, preventive spraying of the tree with special preparations is carried out.

The mulberry tree also has a lot of pests. Khrushchi, mole cricket, mulberry longhorned beetle, wireworm and spider mite damage various parts of the plant. To combat them, mechanical and chemical methods. In autumn, fallen leaves must be removed and burned.

Features of harvesting

White mulberry is characterized by an extended fruiting period. The berries ripen unevenly. On the one hand, this is good. For a longer period, the mulberry tree will delight you with ripe, juicy fruits. However, ripe fruits should be removed in a timely manner. Almost all varieties of white mulberry are poorly stored. They are not transportable. If there is a delay in picking, the berries fall off, which leads to their spoilage. After picking, the fruits are immediately processed or consumed fresh.

Beneficial properties of white mulberry

The medicinal properties of mulberries have been known for a long time. Eating fresh berries helps improve general condition person. White mulberry helps normalize work nervous system. It is included in diets for weight loss. The low-calorie berry perfectly normalizes metabolism. In addition, the plant cleanses the intestines and promotes the removal of toxins. Mulberries are most often consumed fresh. It is also subjected to culinary processing. It is suitable for preparations for future use. You can make juices, syrups, jams and marmalades. Wines and liqueurs have an exquisite taste. It is also dried. In this form, it is used instead of sugar. White mulberry is indispensable in cosmetology. It is included in various masks for hair, face and body.

However, with all the advantages, one should not forget about individual characteristics body. Like any medicine, eating mulberries also has contraindications. Excessive consumption can be harmful. The berries are not recommended for diabetics. Dried mulberry leaves will be healthier for them.

Black mulberry is a mulberry, a close relative of the white mulberry.

The trees differ not only in the color and taste of the berries (black ones are more aromatic and sweeter), but also in the fact that the silkworm prefers the softer leaves of the white mulberry.

Black mulberry: description

Mulberry trees are grown to breed silkworm caterpillars, which wrap their pupae in silk threads. From these threads natural silk is obtained - a fabric the secret of whose production was known for a long time only in China.

a deciduous tree native to Afghanistan and Iran, growing up to fifteen meters. The tree grows rapidly when young, but growth slows over time. Mulberry has a lush spreading crown, darkish bark and thin shoots. The foliage is large, up to 20 cm long and 15 cm wide. The shape of the leaves resembles a blade, the upper surface of the leaf plate is rough to the touch, the lower surface is soft, felt. 3-5 years is the age when the mulberry first begins to bear fruit after planting. It is literally covered with inky black, glossy berries up to 3 cm long, the berries have a juicy sweet and sour taste. Typically, mulberry begins to actively bear fruit in the fifth year after planting. Black mulberry is heat-loving and tolerates dry periods well.

Did you know? Under Ivan the Terrible, a silk weaving factory was created in Russia, producing the most delicate silks for the royal family and court. Peter the Great banned the cutting of mulberries in Russia due to the extraordinary value of the tree for weaving. And in Central Asia, musical instruments were made from valuable wood.

Features of planting black mulberry

The best time to plant mulberries– April, until the movement of juices begins, the beginning of autumn, the period before the rainy season. Autumn planting even more preferable: a seedling that has survived the winter will grow healthy tree with good yield.

Choosing a landing site

Black mulberry for successful cultivation planted in an area open to the sun but sheltered from the winds. Occurrence groundwater should be no less than one and a half meters below the ground surface. Dry, swampy soil is not suitable for mulberries; mulberries do not like sandstones and salty soils.

Black mulberry planting scheme

The hole for the mulberry tree seedling is prepared two weeks before planting. The depth and width of the hole is calculated according to the size of the root system, on average it is 50 x 50 x 50 cm. The hole on poor soils is deepened, taking into account fertilizer. About 5 kg of rotted manure with the addition of 100 g of superphosphate are placed at the bottom and covered with a layer of soil. The roots of the seedling should not come into contact with fertilizer when planting. On poorly drained clay soils, drainage (brick fragments, large pebbles) must be placed in the hole.

When planting, the seedling is placed at the bottom, distributing the roots; as it falls asleep, the soil is lightly compacted so that no air remains. If the seedling is too thin and causes you concern, drive a peg into the hole for support. After planting, water and mulch well. trunk circle, you need to pour out at least two buckets of water. Sawdust or peat can be used as mulch.

Black mulberry: growing features

Mulberry both in planting and care does not require a special approach: everything is the same as usual fruit tree– watering, fertilizing, cleaning the soil, pruning and other procedures familiar to every gardener.

Soil care for black mulberry

Black mulberry needs careful soil care. The tree trunk circle must be weeded and cleared of weeds that deprive the mulberry of moisture and nutrition. The soil around the tree needs to be loosened regularly, saturating it with air and moisture. In spring, mulberries need watering only in the absence of precipitation; in summer, watering is carried out in June and July. In August it is stopped: the plant enters the dormant phase.

Features of tree trimming

Black mulberry pruning is carried out during the dormant period, best in the spring before the juices begin to flow, in April. Before the buds open, carry out rejuvenating and shaping pruning. Sanitary pruning - all damaged branches, competing shoots growing inside the crown - is carried out late autumn after the leaves fall, but the air temperature should not be below -10 degrees.

Feeding the mulberry tree

Black mulberry needs fertilizing only on poor soils with a lack of nutrition. In this case, the tree is fertilized starting in spring and ending in July. At the beginning of spring, mulberries need nitrogen for growth, then phosphorus and potassium compounds for lush flowering and fruiting.

How to care for mulberries in winter

It is important to know how to care for black mulberry in winter, because This species tolerates cold worse than others. Black mulberry is more accustomed to warm climates, so the plant must prepare for winter. First of all, mulberries do not need to be fertilized heavily, only if external signs lack of nutrition, stop watering in August, and carry out sanitary pruning in the fall.

When planting in regions with a cold climate, the root collar of the seedling is deepened into the ground to protect the plant in winter. There is no need to worry about being unadapted to cold weather: black mulberry in description biological features has one interesting property. The mulberry tree has the ability to grow cork tissue between a mature stem and a young one; in case of frost, the tree sheds tissues unsuitable for survival, but if the winter is without snow, the tree will die. To prevent this from happening, in the winter the tree trunk circle is mulched and tightly covered, for example, with spruce branches.

Interesting! If it were not for the observation of the Chinese princess Xi Liying Shi, the world would not have known what silk is. While drinking tea in the shade of a mulberry tree, Xi Liying noticed a caterpillar cocoon falling into a cup; the threads of the cocoon unraveled from the water and shimmered beautifully in the sun. The resourceful Chinese used the observation to their advantage, monopolizing silk production for many years.

Peculiarities of black mulberry propagation

Reproduction of black mulberry is possible seed and vegetative method.

When propagating from seeds, the seeds undergo a stratification procedure either natural, that is, sowing before winter, or before sowing in the spring for about two months in the refrigerator, with removal to the heat once a week for three to four hours. Before sowing, you need to soak the seeds for a couple of hours in a growth stimulator. The seed bed should not be deep; after sowing, the soil is covered with mulch. The seedlings are cared for using the usual method.

Cuttings of black mulberry give practically no results, oddly enough, but this particular species does not want to take root and reproduce in this way.

Let's look at how mulberries reproduce. Reproduction by root shoots: the seedling is separated from the donor bush and transplanted to a separate place. Caring for it is like caring for a young tree.

Attention! At seed method reproduction and root shoots may not retain the varietal characteristics of the mother tree, in addition, there is a possibility of getting a tree with only male flowers (mulberry is a monoecious plant), therefore the most fruitful method of propagation is grafting.

To obtain varietal seedlings, methods of budding and grafting with cuttings under the bark are used. In summer, budding is carried out by a dormant bud, and in spring by a budding bud. The grafting is carried out on a growing tree using cuttings with two buds under the bark. The cut on the rootstock is made at an angle of 35 degrees, while the cut on the cutting above the bud is straight, the lower cut is oblique.

Important! A grafted cutting on a mulberry is inserted with a cut to the bark, and not to the wood, unlike other plants!

Subsequently, vaccination is carried out according to general rules.

Black mulberry: beneficial properties

Black mulberry has many beneficial properties. Plant-based preparations are recommended and official and traditional medicine. The drugs are effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and cardiovascular diseases, especially recommended for patients who have undergone heart valve surgery. Regular consumption reduces shortness of breath, normalizes heartbeat, and strengthens the heart muscle.

People have been growing mulberries since ancient times. Even in ancient times, in southern countries, the leaves of this plant, eaten by silkworms, were used to make durable and beautiful thread. Mulberries are also valued for their decorative qualities. And, of course, many people enjoy the sweet fruits, which are eaten raw and used to make juices, compotes, preserves and jams.

Features of growing mulberries

Mulberry is quite unpretentious to soil conditions, but does not develop well on dry, saline, and waterlogged soils. If the soil on the site is acidic, then the intended mulberry planting site must be cultivated by adding slaked lime, dolomite flour or chalk. Mulberries are planted in a sunny place protected from the wind.

Mulberry is unpretentious, but will give a larger harvest in a sunny place

Mulberry planting

Mulberries are planted in April (before sap flow begins) or in the fall. The planting scheme is as follows: on the site, step back 5 m from the existing trees; between the newly planted mulberry trees there should be at least 4 m. For the seedling, dig a hole measuring 80 x 80 x 60 cm, put 2 buckets of rotted manure or compost there, mix with soil . The planted tree is watered and the tree trunk is mulched.

Video: planting a mulberry seedling and caring for it

Mulberry care

Mulberry care has its own characteristics:

• To obtain a larger yield, mulberries need to be fed by adding rotted manure or compost to the tree trunk.
• To protect against frost and in regions with cold winters, mulberry seedlings can be covered with agrotex, straw, and pine branches.
• When growing heat-loving plants, including mulberries, in regions with sharp temperature changes, it is necessary to remember the danger of damage to trunks and branches by spring return frosts. Therefore, in the spring, after removing the covering material, it is advisable to leave it next to the tree for quicker re-covering in the event of a threat of frost.
• Damaged and diseased branches are cut out in the fall at an air temperature of at least -10 o C.
• Watering of trees is carried out in the first half of summer, so as not to cause rapid pre-winter growth of shoots, which is fraught with freezing of the tree.
• To add decorativeness and facilitate harvesting, it is advisable to form mulberry trees with a height of 2–4 m. In this case, you need to leave a standard of 0.5–1 m, up to this height all side shoots trim.

IN Lately The standard weeping mulberry is of interest to connoisseurs of decorative living compositions. To form a weeping form, branches are cut to the lower and lateral buds. Heavy pruning with this crown shape will not spoil the appearance of the tree, but will reduce the yield.

Standard weeping mulberry will decorate the area

Types of mulberries

Of the wide variety of mulberry species and hybrids (according to some sources, there are about 200), white mulberry and black mulberry have become widespread in Russia and Ukraine.

Black mulberry got its name from the dark color of tree trunks and branches. The plant has purple-black fruits with a more aromatic sweet taste compared to white mulberry. Black culture is more thermophilic than white culture.

The mulberry tree lives about 200 years.

Black mulberry has a dark trunk and branches

Video: black mulberry

Varieties of black mulberry:

Mulberry Shelly No. 150 has large leaves and fruits

White mulberry

White mulberry is so named for the light color of tree trunks and branches. The fruits of this species can have different colors: white, pink, cream, black. The species is more frost-resistant compared to other types of mulberry, which makes it possible to grow it not only in the southern, but also in the northern regions of Russia and Ukraine. In the south, under more familiar conditions, the tree reaches a height of 10–15 m, in the north - 5 m. The fruits have a sweet taste.

Photo gallery: features of white mulberry

White mulberry has a light trunk White mulberry fruits can be of different colors White mulberry gets its name from the color of the branches, not the fruit.

White mulberry varieties:

• Black Baroness. A variety selected by the Rostok agricultural company from the Belgorod region, frost-resistant (withstands cold down to -30°C). It has black fruits of sweet taste with a weak aroma, up to 3.5 cm long, up to 1.5 cm in diameter. It bears fruit in June - July, the yield is high - up to 100 kg per tree. When frozen, quickly restores shoots.

  

  Mulberry Black Baroness easily survives frosts

• White honey. A popular frost-resistant variety that resists diseases well. A plant with a dense, wide-pyramidal crown. Sweet juicy fruits with honey taste, no aroma, white. The length of the fruit is up to 3 cm, the diameter is 1 cm. Harvesting begins at the end of June and continues until the beginning of August. Fresh berries practically cannot withstand transportation. If young branches freeze after pruning, the plant quickly grows back and restores productivity.

  

  Fresh white honey mulberries practically do not tolerate transportation

• Dark-skinned. Another variety from the Rostok agricultural company. The name refers to the almost black fruits. It is frost-resistant (tolerates cold temperatures down to -30°C). When young branches freeze, they quickly grow back and restore productivity. The tree has a wide pyramidal crown. The fruits are sweet, without aroma, with slight sourness, up to 3.5 cm long, 1.2 cm in diameter. The variety is high-yielding. Transportability is not bad (compared to other mulberry varieties). Fresh berries can be stored for 12–18 hours.
• Ostryakovskaya. Another variety of white mulberry with black fruits. A vigorous tree up to 5.5 m tall successfully tolerates frosts down to -25 o C. Large fleshy juicy fruits have a sweet and sour taste. Due to the uneven period of fruit ripening, starting in mid-June, light, reddish and black berries can be found on one branch. The disadvantages of the variety include instability to diseases and pests.
• Ukrainian 6. A variety of white mulberry with black fruit. Bred at the Ukrainian Research Institute of Silkworms. It is frost-resistant (down to -28°C). Begins to bear fruit in the 4th–5th year. Sweet, acid-free, large fruits ripen from the beginning of June, reaching a size of 4 cm or more, with a diameter of up to 0.8 cm. Productivity is average. The plant is vigorous, with a dense spherical crown. Fresh fruit can be stored for over 12 hours. The transportability of the fruit is good. The tree is decorative and used in landscaping. If young branches freeze after pruning them, the plant quickly restores its attractive appearance and yield.
• White tenderness. The variety is early ripening (the fruits ripen from the beginning of June), the offering lasts about 2 months. It has good winter hardiness and disease resistance. The plant is vigorous, the crown is compact. In the first years of life, the leaves are large; as the harvest increases, they become smaller. The fruits are juicy, large, white. The taste is sweet, but rainy weather worsens, the berries lose their sweetness.

  

  Mulberry White tenderness is characterized by good winter hardiness and disease resistance

• Pink Smolenskaya. A new frost-resistant mid-early variety (begins to bear fruit from the beginning of July). The plant is unpretentious, fruits appear in the 1st year after planting the seedling. Sweet fruits of pink or red color, 2–3 cm long. The plant has an attractive leaf shape and multi-colored fruits, which can be used to create decorative compositions in the garden.

  

  Pink Smolenskaya mulberry has colorful fruits

Mulberry varieties for growing in different regions

One of the main differentiating factors different regions are climatic conditions (cold winter, the likelihood of return spring frosts, the number of sunny days per year, etc.). When planting a mulberry seedling, these factors must be taken into account.

For central Russia

Central Russia is characterized by cold winters, unpleasant for heat-loving plants. The probability of return frosts in the spring is high. In this regard, in this area, the mulberry is formed in the form of a bush up to 5 m high. This is done to reduce the risk of frost damage to the entire above-ground part of the plant.

In the southern part middle zone The drought resistance of the variety must also be taken into account.

The following varieties are suitable for these places:

• White honey,
• Black Baroness,
• Nadiya,
• Dark-skinned,
• Ostryakovskaya,
• Black Prince,
• Vladimirskaya,
• Ukrainian 6,
• White tenderness,
• Pink Smolenskaya.

For North-West Russia

North-West Russia is a difficult region for growing mulberries. For most plant varieties, which are more accustomed to the climatic conditions of the southern regions, cold winters are destructive. Insufficient sunlight also has a negative effect. In this regard, you need to choose early ripening varieties, form the plants in the form of a bush up to 5 m high. The mulberry itself will tend to grow in the form of a bush in such conditions. You just need to cut out dried, broken branches, and also avoid thickening.

Mulberries should be planted only in a dry, well-lit place. The groundwater level should be no higher than 1.5 m. For the winter, plants must be covered (straw, pine branches, wrapped with agrotex). Annual plants Candig up and store in the cellar until spring to protect young seedlings from severe winter frosts.

You can experiment with varieties:

• White honey,
• Black Prince.

For Ukraine

For cultivation in Ukraine, varieties of Ukrainian selection are primarily suitable:

• SHELLY No. 150,
• Galicia,
• Nadiya,
• Ukrainian 6.

According to climatic conditions, the possibility of obtaining high fruits taste qualities Other varieties are also suitable:

• White honey,
• Black Baroness,
• Black Prince,
• Black Pearl,
• Dark-skinned,
• Hope,
• White tenderness,
• Ostryakovskaya
• Pink Smolensk.

The homeland of black mulberry, or as it is also called tyutin, is the southwestern part of Asia. Later it spread throughout the world and became a favorite delicacy of many adults and children. The benefits of black mulberry will be discussed in this article.

Benefits of black mulberry

Mulberry fruits have a rich chemical composition, which includes K, A, group B, minerals - phosphorus, zinc, sodium, calcium, selenium, magnesium, manganese, as well as phosphoric acid, and in the most optimal concentration, organic acids, tannins, essential oils, natural saccharides, antioxidants, including resveratrol. Such a rich composition makes it possible to use the berries in a variety of fields - cooking, medicine, pharmacology, etc. They are eaten fresh and in the form of preserves and jams, frozen, dried, boiled compotes, prepared baked goods and muffins.

Those wondering if black mulberry is healthy should take a look at its calorie content. Although this berry is quite sweet, its energy value is only 49 Kcal per 100 g, so it can be safely consumed by people watching their weight and those who suffer from diabetes.

Medicinal properties of black mulberry

Berry juice is a powerful antiseptic that can be used to treat diseases of the nasopharynx and oral cavity. In addition, tyutina can alleviate the condition of respiratory tract diseases: improve sputum separation, have a diaphoretic effect and lower the temperature. Particularly valuable in this regard are the leaves, which have a powerful anti-heat effect. Vitamin C included in the composition will speed up recovery and increase. Estimate useful action Asthmatics can also eat berries.

Those with digestive problems are also recommended to eat tyutin, and those suffering from constipation should eat ripe berries, and those suffering from diarrhea – green and unripe ones. In addition, they will easily eliminate heartburn. Few people know that black mulberry rich in potassium, a mineral necessary for maintaining the heart muscle. Therefore, it is recommended for use by those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases, as well as anemia. For those who ask which mulberry is healthier - black or white, it is worth answering that white is sweeter and does not raise hemoglobin as well as black, although their properties are largely similar.

It must be said that black mulberry can bring not only benefits, but also harm. First of all, this applies to berries collected along highways And industrial enterprises. Well, like any berry, if you overeat, it can cause discomfort, pain and fermentation in the intestines, and provoke diarrhea.