Mulberry tree, which is attracting attention as a superfood, is a plant that is rich in nutrition that is good for beauty and easy to grow. Let’s find out why it is also useful as a crude drug for tea and Chinese medicine, such as the characteristics of mulberry, how to grow it, how to eat it deliciously and its beneficial effects on the body, and the actual color of mulberry.
Article table of contents
- What is Mulberry
- How to grow mulberry
- How to use mulberry
- Efficacy of mulberry
- summary
What is Mulberry
Basic information
| Scientific name | White mulberry |
| English name | Mulberry |
| Family | Moraceae Moraceae |
| Genus | White mulberry |
| form | Deciduous middle and hi trees |
| Cold resistance | strong |
Characteristics as a plant
Mulberry is a fruit tree of the Morus alba family, and is called morus alba in Japan. Since ancient times, “Yamagwa”, which grows naturally in Japan, and “Karayamagwa”, which is a feed for silk moths for producing silk, have been used. Since it is easy to cross between species, there are many varieties and varieties of about 1,400 to 1,500, and “Western mulberry” is a variety for harvesting fruits.
Mulberry came to Japan in the 8th century during the Nara and Heian periods, when it was introduced from China with silk moths. It used to be cultivated actively, but now it is only found in mountains and parks. In China, it is considered to be a sacred tree eaten by silk moths, and in Europe, India, and the Middle East, it is used as a raw material and dye for jams and Chinese herbs.
Features of the tree
Mulberries are deciduous trees that can reach up to 15m, but most are cut from the trunk and grown to a height of about 2-3m. The trunk is upright and branched, and the bark is dull gray. It is basically dioecious, but there are also dioecious strains. Roots are used as herbal medicines and dyes in Chinese medicine.
Leaf characteristics
It has thin, glossy yellow-green leaves and rough serrations on the edges. If there is a sharp saw tooth, it is a leaf of Yamagwa, so it can be distinguished from Karagwa. The leaves have a stalk, an oval shape that is close to a long heart shape, and are characterized by shallow 3-5 splits and sharp tips. The leaves are processed into mulberry leaf tea, which has a nice effect on maintaining health.
Flower characteristics
Around May, the spikes (flowers are borne along the axis) are borne and male and female flowers are borne. A male flower is a columnar shape with four stamens and a degenerated pistil in the center, and a female flower with a pistil without a style at the base. It densely grows small pale yellow-green petal flowers. Morus alba has a short style, which distinguishes it from Karagwa.
Fruit characteristics
The harvest season for mulberries is from June to August, when the flowers are finished, they produce vertically long oval fruits that turn from green to red-black as they ripen. Small grains like raspberries gather to form one fruit. It is rarely distributed in Japan, and most of it is processed into dried fruits and jams and used as a dye.
Fruit color
Morus alba is also called “Mulberry”, and “Mulberry” is sometimes referred to as the color of this morus alba. In addition, the actual color of mulberry, which is the traditional color of Japan, is the color of this fruit, which is dark reddish purple. The bark is also used as a dye, and its yellow color is called “morus alba”, and the reddish purple color of morus alba is called “morus alba” to avoid confusion..
How to grow mulberry
Mulberry is a hassle-free and easy-to-grow tree that fits perfectly with the Japanese environment, so it is recommended for those who want to grow fruit trees. Grow delicious mulberries, which are popular as superfoods, and make tea, jams, dyes, and more.
Cultivation calendar
How to grow ① Necessary environment
Mulberries are resistant to the cold and can be cultivated in cold regions without any problems. It grows in the shade, but it has poor flowering, so if you want to harvest more fruits, choose a sunny place.
How to grow ② Soil
It is necessary to create soil with a good balance of drainage and water retention. For potting, mix small Akadama soil and humus soil in a ratio of 6: 4, or use commercially available potting soil for vegetables. If the soil is poorly drained, mix 20 to 30% of the humus into the soil from which the planting holes have been dug.
How to grow ③ Watering
If there is not enough water, it will die, so proper watering is required. When the soil surface is dry, give plenty of water. For land planting, no watering is required except during the rooting period and when the drought continues.
How to grow ④ Fertilizer
In March, after the dormancy period, growth is given, and in June, fast-acting chemical fertilizers are given to promote fruiting. The fertilizer given in December will be gradually absorbed by the plants in the dormant trees, and organic fertilizer should be applied to the plant so that it will be effective during the spring growing season.
How to grow ⑤ How to choose seedlings
Mulberry is a difficult plant to grow by sowing. Seeds do not germinate when dried and it takes about 3-4 years to harvest, so it is recommended to grow from seedlings at first. Mulberry trees are dioecious, so if you enjoy harvesting, choose a variety such as “Lalaberry”, which has self-fruiting, or plant two different varieties.
How to grow ⑥ Planting
The optimum time for planting both potted plants and ground plants is from March to April, but it is also possible to plant from October to April because of its cold resistance. Choose a pot that is one size larger and plant it. Plant in a sunny place, and leave a space of about 50 cm between the plants. If you cut it back to a height of 50-60 cm at the time of planting, the subsequent growth will improve.
How to grow ⑦ Pruning
To increase the yield, we recommend pruning once after the fruit is harvested, once every January to February, and twice a year in total. Cut off unnecessary old branches, but be careful not to cut off the flower buds as flower buds will be attached to the middle to the tip of the newly grown branches.
How to grow ⑧ Fruit thinning
When a lot of fruits are produced, nutrients may be deprived and the strain may be weakened. Also, since the size of one fruit is reduced, adjusting the amount of fruit can produce good quality fruits. If it bears too much fruit, pick the fruits and adjust the number before ripening.
How to grow ⑨ Harvest
The mulberry is harvested in June, and when the fruit changes from red to black-red, it is a sign of ripeness. The picked fruits do not last long and can be eaten 2-3 days after harvest. If you can’t eat it, process it into jam or fruit liquor.
How to grow ⑩ How to increase
Mulberry is increased by two types of cuttings, “old strip cuttings” that use winter branches and “sprout cuttings” that are newly grown branches. Cut the branches to a length of 15 to 20 cm in February to March for old strips and June to July for shoots, and remove the rest, leaving the top two leaves. If you insert it in the soil for cuttings such as Akadama soil and manage it in the shade so that the soil does not dry out, it will take root.
How to use mulberry
Mulberry leaves and fruits, which have beneficial effects on health and beauty such as antioxidants and whitening, have long been used as crude drugs and dyes for Chinese herbal medicine, and have been attracting attention as superfoods in recent years. Let me introduce you how to use such mulberry deliciously.
How to choose delicious fruits
In fact, it changes from whitish green to red when it bears fruit, and to black-purple when it is fully ripe. When the fruit is red, the acidity is still strong, and the sweetness increases as it turns black. Choose a beautiful morus alba with a firm axis and no juice leaking from the fruit.
How to save the real
In fact, when harvested, it only lasts for a few days. Put it in a closed container, store it in the refrigerator, and eat it in 2 to 3 days. If you stack the fruits, they will be crushed, so spread kitchen paper on the container and arrange them so that they do not overlap. If you want to store it in a freezer, take the shaft, wash it with water, and put it in a bag that can be sealed with water and freeze it.
How to eat delicious ① Mulberry leaf tea
Mulberry leaf tea, made by lightly roasting mulberry leaves, is easy to drink and provides nutrients to maintain beautiful skin. Drinking tea before meals is recommended for efficient nutrition to maintain good health. Since the whitening effect has also been reported, it is a tea that is attracting attention as being effective for beauty purposes.
Delicious way to eat ② Morus alba jam
If you want to easily enjoy Mulberry, a delicious and nutritious superfood, why not try handmade jam. Sweet and sour jam is also recommended for meat sauces.
summary
We introduced Chinese herbs, dyes, delicious superfoods with whitening effect, and mulberry. The leaves are used for tea for whitening, the fruits are used for delicious jam, and the roots are used for crude drugs. Since it has various medicinal properties, it is also a tree with a history of being a spiritual tree in Japan. Please try to grow such delicious mulberry