Mulberry Trees are one of the common and highly appreciated trees in the world. Almost everything that comes out of the mulberry tree is useful.
People eat and prepared delicious jams and medical supplements from their fruit. Its leaves keep the silk industry alive. There are more uses of mulberry trees, which I am going to share in the facts below.
- Mulberry is a deciduous tree in the fig family.
- The homeland of the mulberry tree is considered to be the countries of South and West Asia (Afghanistan and Iran). The white mulberry originates from the Eastern regions of China.
- The leaves of the white mulberry are more tender and juicy, so this particular type of tree is used for breeding silkworm, from the cocoons of which the Chinese have been making the famous natural silk for over four thousand years.
- There is a legend about silk and silkworm. While resting under a spreading mulberry tree, Princess XI Ling Shi enjoyed her tea when suddenly a cocoon fell into her cup. The Princess was delighted to see that the cocoon began to open in the hot drink, and its threads began to play with various tints and colors. This is how everyone found out that an ordinary caterpillar that lives on mulberry trees is the “producer” of expensive silk thread
- There is a curious tradition in Northern Cyprus: every year, people celebrate the silkworm festival with great joy.
- Red mulberry can live up to 75 years. However, black mulberry trees are a long longest living species of mulberries: They can live and bear fruit for hundreds of years. Some scientists believe that some mulberry trees can live close to 500 years if they grow in a convenient environment.
- Mulberry trees have 16 species that grow in temperate and subtropical parts of the world.
- Mulberry trees can withstand extreme heat, drought, and sudden temperature fluctuations.
- Mulberry trees have a heavy, dense and elastic wood, which is valued in Central Asia. Here they make musical instruments from it and use it for carpentry.
- Mulberry produces male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious plants), but there are also dioecious plants among mulberries.
- Mulberry fruits contain a huge number of elements and are a rich source of natural antioxidants. They come in white, red, and black colors.
- Consumption of a handful of mulberries a day helps to strengthen the immune system and protects against beriberi.
- Mulberry fruits are the record holders in terms of calcium content. For example, tea from the leaves of this plant contains twenty-two times more calcium than whole cow’s milk.
- In Germany, mulberry is associated with evil spirits, due to the ancient belief that the devil uses the root of the mulberry tree to polish his boots.
- Mulberry fruits emit orange, red, purple, black, and blue pigments that are used as dyes in the food and textile industries.
- Mulberry fruits are used to make molasses, Pekmez syrup (artificial honey), pastille, jam, juice, wine, and vinegar, compote, and pie fillings.
- The mulberry tree is repeatedly mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, and according to tradition in Jericho, you can still see the tree in the shade of which Jesus once rested.
- The leaf of the mulberry can reach a length (along with the petiole) of fifty centimeters! Leonid Prokazin, a breeder from the Poltava region, bred this famous variety. The fruit of the tree grown by him reaches a length of five and a half centimeters and has an excellent sweet taste, rightfully considered one of the best varieties of mulberry in the world.
- Mulberry is called a tree for the lazy. Since everyone can grow it on the site, without spending much effort. For the cultivation of the mulberry, any type of soil is used, because in nature it grows on rocky talus. The landing site should be open and sunny.
- Mulberry fruits ripen in April-June (depending on the region), they are collected in July-August.
- It should be noted that in official pharmacology, mulberry remained unnoticed for a long time. Only recently, its extract has been included in Dietary Supplements.
- The adult mulberry tree reaches a height of 33-66 feet (10-20 meters). It has a powerful root system that gets moisture from great depths. For this reason, mulberry gardens are always cool and easy to breathe in the summer.
- Central Asians use dried white mulberry berries to prepare nutritious flour, which is added to the dough.
- Mulberry trees were also planted near the houses in Central Asia to get benefits of its cool shades. Usually, people made special porches under its shade and drink their tea there.
- In Uzbekistan, the mulberry tree considered a Holy, almost mystical tree. It is not acceptable to cut down these trees. For example, in Bukhara, there are still growing 400-500 years old mulberry trees. The oldest mulberry tree is 600 years old.
