- Type
- Trees & Vines
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Season
- Spring·Fall
- Sowing
- Plant a sapling
Mulberry
Morus alba
Anthocyanin, rutin · black mulberries in early summer
The mulberry is grown for leaves that feed silkworms and for its fruit. It grows fast and passes 3m in open ground, but a winter prune keeps it low enough to fruit in a large pot. The Donguibogam entry 桑根白皮 in the Wood section describes the preparation: scrape the rough outer bark off the root with a copper knife, take only the white inner layer, and dry it in the sun. It also states plainly that roots exposed above the soil are not to be used. The attached fruit entry (椹) gives the nature as cold, the taste sweet, and no toxicity; lobed leaves are called 雞桑 and rated best, leaves are picked after the first frost, and spring branches cut before leaf-out, roasted and decocted, are called 桑枝茶.
Year-Round Calendar
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Where It Grows
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Origin
This is the tree's place of origin, and it leads the world in both mulberry-grove area and cocoon production. Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangxi are the main centers. Harvest May, June
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- Main producer The mulberry groves of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are the second largest in the world. The climate is warm, so the leaves are picked several times a year.
- Major producer Silkworm farming here has continued since the days of the Silk Road, and mulberry trees are planted in rows along roadsides and field banks.
- Major producer Paraná state is the center of South American silkworm farming. Because it lies in the southern hemisphere, its harvest season is the opposite of the northern hemisphere's.
- Major producer There is a tradition of eating dried mulberries here, so the trees are grown for their fruit. The black mulberries are usually a different species (Morus nigra).
White mulberry (Morus alba) is native to China, and it spread as people carried it westward along the Silk Road and across the sea to the Korean peninsula and Japan in order to raise silkworms. Even today most mulberry groves exist not for the fruit but for the leaves that feed silkworms, and relatively few countries grow the tree for its berries. The black fruit called mulberry in West Asia and Europe is a different species, black mulberry (Morus nigra), and the North American one is red mulberry (Morus rubra).
- Optimum
- 20~30℃
- Range
- 5~35℃
- Hardiness
- Hardy
A deciduous tree that grows across a wide range, from temperate into subtropical zones. It drops its leaves in winter, withstands temperatures down to around -20℃, and holds up well in drought. Frequent rain around the time the mulberries ripen softens the fruit, which then splits easily.
Harvested 2–3 years after planting. Two or three years must pass after a sapling is planted before it bears mulberries properly. The leaves can be picked from the following year. The month of planting and the month of the first picking do not fall in the same year.
In Korea Nationwide
The tree will grow anywhere in the country, but groves kept for their leaves do better in the warm south. Buan and Gochang in North Jeolla, Sangju in North Gyeongsang, and the South Jeolla region are known as mulberry-growing areas.
How to grow
- Light
- Six hours of sun or more. In shade the leaves grow large and the fruit set stays thin
- Soil and depth
- Not fussy about soil. Use a pot at least 40cm across and keep the drainage hole clear with coarse gravel
- Spacing
- 3 to 4m in the ground. The roots run wide, so plant at least 2m from walls and drains
- Watering
- Only the first year needs attention. Once established it takes most dry spells in stride
- Feeding
- One base dressing in late February is enough. Too much nitrogen and it puts everything into long shoots
- Harvest
- Pick the fully black fruit through May and June. Stripping by hand crushes them, so take them one at a time or shake the branch over a cloth
What makes the difference. Spread the picked fruit one layer deep and refrigerate, or freeze it the same day. Stacked in a bowl, the bottom layer bursts
Why this one is harder. Left alone the tree passes 3m and the fruit goes out of reach. An annual winter prune that cuts the main branches back to head height is what keeps it a tree you can actually pick
Common problems
- Popcorn disease (sclerotial fruit rot) You will see Fruit swells pale and hardens instead of ripening What to do Pick off every affected berry and collect the fallen ones too. Keeping the ground clean under the tree decides next season
- Mulberry scale You will see Branches carry crowded patches that look like white shell What to do Brush them off in winter and cut out the worst branches
- Birds You will see Once fruit colours, the ripest berries vanish each morning What to do Net the tree a week before ripening. Reflective tape alone stops working within days
This page describes how a crop is grown and used. It does not claim health effects for any food, nor is it intended to prevent or treat disease. Component and study notes are references only and do not mean the same result occurs in people. Consult a medical professional about health concerns.
Health Benefits
What the Donguibogam records — preparation and prohibitions. The Donguibogam lists mulberry root bark in the Wood section as 桑根白皮. It says there is no fixed season for digging it, yet states firmly that roots exposed above the soil are not to be used, and describes the preparation: scrape off the rough outer bark with a copper knife, take only the white inner layer, and sun-dry it. The attached fruit entry gives the nature as cold, the taste sweet and no toxicity; lobed leaves are called 雞桑 and rated best, and roasted spring branches decocted as tea are called 桑枝茶. This is a historical medical record and differs from modern medical judgment.
Fruit pigment composition. Studies analysing the anthocyanins of black mulberry report cyanidin-3-glucoside as the principal component. Total content is reported to vary considerably with cultivar and ripeness. These are pigment composition analyses and have nothing to do with preventing or treating disease.
Quantification of leaf DNJ. Multiple studies have isolated and quantified 1-deoxynojirimycin in mulberry leaf, reporting that content shifts with cultivar, harvest timing and drying method. These are analyses of the compound's presence and amount.
Nutrition
- Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) (the main pigment of ripe black fruit) — deep purple anthocyanin
- Rutin and quercetin glycosides (present in the leaves) — flavonoid compounds
- 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) (an iminosugar isolated from mulberry leaf) — a compound characteristically reported in the genus Morus
- Iron and potassium (present in the fruit) — minerals
Anthocyanin (C3G) The near-black colour of ripe mulberries comes mostly from cyanidin-3-glucoside. Analyses repeatedly report this single compound as the majority of the fruit's anthocyanin. It dissolves easily and breaks down with heat, so long boiling turns the colour brown. Short cooking keeps jam and syrup a cleaner purple.
Rutin and leaf flavonoids Mulberry leaves carry rutin and quercetin glycosides. Roasted and steeped as tea, these pass into the water and give it a pale yellow cast. Slightly mature leaves often test higher than the youngest ones. The old text likewise rated the second flush of summer and autumn leaves as the best grade.
1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) DNJ is an iminosugar isolated from the leaves of Morus species. It is the marker that distinguishes mulberry leaf from other leaf teas and has been the subject of many quantification studies. Reported levels vary widely with cultivar, harvest timing and drying method. This entry records the compound's presence and nothing beyond it. Anyone planning to drink mulberry leaf tea daily as a habit, and in particular anyone taking medication for blood sugar, is safer checking with a doctor or pharmacist first.
Water and minerals Mulberries are watery and fragile. A day after picking the juice starts to weep and the fruit collapses, so spread them one layer deep in a shallow dish and refrigerate, or freeze them the same day. They carry iron and potassium, and the sugar in the juice means frozen fruit works straight as a sorbet. Freezing holds the colour well.
Pairings
○ Yogurt and milk — The tartness and deep colour of mulberry suit dairy. Crushed fruit spreads the colour evenly, and frozen berries can go in as they are. Little added sugar is needed.
○ Leaves in rice and pancakes — Young mulberry leaves are steamed on top of rice or folded into pancake batter. They are tender enough to use without blanching. Strip out the tougher stalks for a better texture.
○ Roasted-leaf and branch tea — The old text calls the decoction of spring branches, cut before leaf-out and pan-roasted, 桑枝茶. Leaves are treated the same way. Roasting drives off the green note and brings up a toasted aroma.
△ Unripe fruit and white latex — Unripe mulberries and the white latex from cut leaf stalks can irritate the mouth and upset the stomach. Children grazing under the tree will strip green fruit along with ripe, so teach them to take only the black ones. Juice on the hands leaves lasting stains on clothing and teeth.
△ Home use of root bark and lye — The Donguibogam itself says roots exposed above the soil are not to be used, and records lye made from mulberry ash as slightly toxic. Keep home use to the fruit, the young leaves and spring branches. Do not dig up root bark and decoct it yourself.
△ Eating too many at once — Mulberries are high in water and sugar, and a large helping can leave the stomach uncomfortable. Standing and eating under the tree makes the amount hard to judge. Pick into a cup and eat from that instead.
Varieties
- Cheongil-ppong (sapling) — The standard leaf-production cultivar. Large, uniform leaves
- Daeseong-ppong (sapling) — A dual-purpose line grown for both leaf and fruit
- Daesim (sapling) — Bred with the fruit in mind. Larger berries
- Korean wild mulberry (sapling) — The wild species. Many plants carry deeply lobed, hand-shaped leaves
Source: Donguibogam, Wood Section 桑根白皮 · Rural Development Administration (Nongsaro) · National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, sericulture materials