Black mulberry: description, benefits, cultivation and care, photo

Black mulberry is common in Asian countries, but is increasingly found in the middle zone. It is valued for its tasty and healthy berries. To successfully grow mulberries, it is important to choose a suitable location and regularly care for the crop.

Description of black mulberry

Black mulberry is a deciduous tree, belongs to the genus Mulberry and the Mulberry family. It is also known by the names mulberry, tut, mulberry tree. The culture originates from South-West Asia, from where it gradually spread to the West. The lifespan of the mulberry tree is up to 200 years.

Mulberries are grown for their healthy edible fruits. Its wood is dense and heavy, used for the manufacture of musical instruments, furniture, and building materials. In Russia, harvesting mulberry wood is prohibited by law.The leaves of the tree serve as a source of food for silkworms, which are used to produce silk.

The mulberry reaches a height of 10 - 13 m. The leaves are 10 to 20 cm long, elongated, green in color. The fruits are dark purple: almost black. They consist of many drupes ranging from 2 to 4 cm in length. Externally, the berries resemble blackberries. Black mulberry fruits are edible, sweet in taste, with a sour aftertaste.

You can evaluate the appearance of the crop from a photo of a black mulberry tree:

When growing black mulberry in central Russia, the tree often freezes, but quickly recovers. After pruning, the crop is grown as a bush. Black mulberry tolerates urban pollution well and is suitable for planting in parks.

How black mulberry blooms

In the southern climate, mulberries bloom in April, in the central zone - in May or June. The plant's pollen is carried by the wind and also by insects. Mulberry is a dioecious plant. Female and male flowers are found on different trees. Therefore, to form a harvest, at least 2 mulberry trees are planted. Some cultivated varieties have both types of inflorescences and do not require pollinators.

What are the benefits of black mulberry?

Mulberry fruits are rich in useful substances. The calorie content of the product is low: 50.4 kcal per 100 g. Black mulberry is used for weight loss and in the diet menu for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. It removes waste and toxins from the body well and gently cleanses the intestines.

The benefits of black mulberry are explained by its composition, which includes:

resveratrol is a plant antioxidant that protects against the spread of bacteria and fungi;
vitamins A, B1, B3, C, PP, K;
beta-carotene;
potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, selenium, iron;
organic acids;
mono- and disaccharides.

The fruits of the plant are valued for their high potassium content. They also have a diuretic, choleretic effect and successfully relieve inflammation. They are also taken for edema, heart defects, to relieve pain and shortness of breath. Unripe berries are also used for diarrhea, as they have an astringent effect. Ripe fruits help relieve constipation.

Important! If you have a medical condition, you should consult your doctor before consuming mulberries.

Mulberry leaves in the form of a decoction produce an antipyretic effect. Fresh juice from the leaves relieves toothache. Berry extract is effective for colds, vitamin deficiency, low immunity, and nervous system disorders.

Black mulberry bark also has beneficial properties. Decoctions based on it are used for kidney disease. Bark powder helps heal wounds and burns. An infusion of the roots is useful for bronchial asthma and colds, hypertension, and heart disease.

Varieties of black mulberry

All black mulberry varieties have dark-colored bark and berries. Most varieties produce high yields and are adapted to different conditions.

Black mulberry Nadiya

Mulberry Nadia has the appearance of a medium-sized tree. The variety has high winter and drought resistance. Black mulberry is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but does not tolerate stagnant moisture. The tree begins to bloom in May. Fruit ripening is extended: from mid-July to autumn.

The fruits are purple, almost black, and not very large. The length of the berries is 2.5 - 3 cm. The fruits taste pleasant, sweet and sour. A bountiful harvest is harvested 3–4 years after planting. At the same time, up to 15 kg of berries are removed from the tree. Mulberry has a dessert purpose and is well suited for processing.

Mulberry Black Prince

According to the description, the mulberry variety Black Prince is a tree up to 10 m high with a wide crown. The culture is distinguished by especially large fruits up to 5 cm long. The color of the berries is black, the surface is shiny. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour. The leaves are powerful, asymmetrical in shape with jagged edges.

Mulberry variety Black Prince blooms in April - May. Fruiting begins in the second half of summer. The yield from one mulberry tree is up to 100 kg. Berries are stored for 2 - 3 days. For the formation of ovaries, a pollinator is needed that blooms at similar times. Mulberry Black Prince is unpretentious to growing conditions and is suitable for planting in northern regions.

Admiral's

Admiral mulberry was included in the State Register in 2017. This is a late-ripening variety, the purpose of its berries is universal. The mulberry tree is spreading, has great vigor, forms a powerful trunk with dark gray bark. Its shoots are straight and green. The leaves of the variety are matte, medium in size, and ovoid in shape.

The fruits of the variety weigh up to 1.7 g, are cylindrical in shape, black in color, and covered with thin skin. The sugar content is 19.2%. The taste is sweet, with refreshing notes. The Admiralsky variety is resistant to drought and winter frosts. No disease or pest damage was detected.

Royal

Royal is one of the large-fruited varieties of black mulberry. The tree is medium-sized, up to 8 m high, forms a thick, spreading crown. The leaves are glossy and green in color. The fruits reach a weight of 20 g and a length of 6 cm. Taste qualities are assessed at a high level. The shelf life of the berries is several days.

The Royal variety begins to bear fruit early and produces a harvest in the first year after planting. Early ripening: begins in early June.Mulberry is resistant to frost and tolerates summer drought well.

Istanbul Black

Istanbul Black mulberry is one of the large-fruited varieties. The tree reaches a height of 7 m. The crown is dense and decorative. Fruiting begins at 2 or 3 years. The flowers are collected in inflorescences in the form of a spike. The leaves are green, ovate-shaped.

The mulberry blossoms in the last ten days of April. The variety is late and self-pollinating. The ripening period begins at the end of July and lasts until August. The fruits are dark, almost black, 3 cm long. The taste is sweet, with a subtle sourness.

Important! The Istanbul Black variety is unpretentious to growing conditions and tolerates winter frosts without problems.

Staromoskovskaya

Mulberry Staromoskovskaya is a tree with a spherical crown. The height of the mulberry tree is up to 10 m. By pruning, it is grown as a shrub or weeping willow. The fruits are 2 - 3 cm long, dark purple to almost black in color. The taste is sweetish, with a slight sourness.

The Staromoskovskaya variety is resistant to winter frosts. The culture does not get sick and quickly adapts to any weather conditions. The mulberry tree is self-fertile: its harvest is formed without the participation of pollinators.

Black Pearl

The Black Pearl mulberry is a tall tree with a spherical crown. When pruning the central conductor, the mulberry is grown as a bush. Then the shoots reach a height of 3.5 m. The leaves of the plant are dark green, large, the crown is brown with a reddish tint. Fruiting occurs in June - July.

The mulberry variety Black Pearl brings a high yield. Up to 100 kg of berries are removed from the tree. The fruits are purple-black in color, up to 4 cm long and weighing up to 9 g. They taste sweet and sour.When the berries ripen, they fall off, so it is recommended not to delay harvesting or to lay a film under the tree.

Growing and caring for black mulberry

To reap the benefits of black mulberry, it is important to find the right location for it. During cultivation, the tree is provided with constant care.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

In order for the mulberry to develop and bear fruit, a specific place is chosen for planting. The culture is light-loving; it is placed in a sunny area. Be sure to provide protection from cold winds in the form of buildings or other plantings.

Basic soil requirements:

looseness;
fertility;
no moisture stagnation;
The groundwater level is below 1.5 m.

Mulberry does not tolerate saline and waterlogged soils. Clay and sandy soil is not suitable for planting. If the soil is heavy, then a drainage layer of expanded clay is made in the planting hole. The addition of humus and clay also helps to improve the composition of sandy soil.

Two- or three-year-old seedlings are selected for planting. Plants are purchased from a nursery. Mulberries should be inspected before purchasing. Seedlings without cracks, mold or other defects are suitable for planting.

Landing rules

Mulberries are planted in April or late autumn. Choose a period when the trees' sap flow slows down. In the south, it is better to plant the plant in October - November, so that the crop has time to adapt before the cold weather. In the middle zone and in the north, where there are early frosts, planting is left until spring. They begin to prepare the pit 3 - 4 weeks before planting. It is left to shrink, which can seriously damage the seedling.

Mulberry planting procedure:

First, dig a pit with a diameter of 50 cm to a depth of 60 cm.
To fill the hole, a substrate is obtained: 5 kg of compost and 100 g of superphosphate.
After shrinkage, an earthen mound is formed in the pit.
The seedling is placed on top. The roots are straightened and soil is poured on top.
The soil is compacted and watered abundantly.

The planting order does not depend on the period of work. The seedling is tied to a support, and a layer of humus is poured into the tree trunk circle for mulching.

Watering and fertilizing

Mulberry tolerates short-term drought well. If there is frequent precipitation in the region, then you can do without adding moisture. Mulberry trees are watered only in severe drought. Water is needed from April to July. When growing black mulberry, warm, settled water is used. It is introduced strictly into the tree trunk circle; it is best to choose morning or evening hours.

Advice! It is especially important to monitor soil moisture during the flowering period and at the beginning of fruiting. The yield of mulberries directly depends on this.

Mulberry responds positively to fertilization. In the spring, it is watered with a solution of urea or mullein. They contain nitrogen, which promotes the growth of green mass. When the plant blooms and the fruits ripen, superphosphate and potassium are added. These substances improve the taste and quality of berries. For 10 liters of water, it is enough to add 40 g of each fertilizer.

Trimming

Mulberry trees are pruned during the dormant period. This period occurs in early spring or late autumn. The tree tolerates treatment best in the spring: at the end of April or beginning of May, when the leaves have not yet blossomed.

Young black mulberry branches are completely removed at a height of 1.5 m from the trunk and below. If you leave the central conductor, the tree will grow to 5 - 6 m. You can trim the top at a height of 2 m and form a crown of 9 - 12 shoots.In the future, the chosen shape of the plant is maintained and excess shoots are eliminated.

In the fall, sanitary pruning of mulberries is carried out, eliminating old, broken, dry and diseased shoots. Weak shoots and branches growing inside the crown are also removed.

Preparing for winter

When growing and caring for black mulberry in the Moscow region, preparation for winter must be included. This will help increase the cold resistance of black mulberries. In autumn, the tree is watered abundantly so that the moist soil protects the roots from freezing. Then they spud the trunk and pour peat or humus into the circle around the trunk.

Young mulberries are protected from the cold using a frame structure. It is made of wood or metal and then installed above the seedling. Spandbond or agrofibre is attached to the supports. It is not recommended to use polyethylene for covering, which does not allow moisture and air to pass through well.

When does black mulberry begin to bear fruit after planting?

Typically, the mulberry tree bears its first harvest 4–5 years after planting. Breeders have managed to develop varieties that bear fruit for 2–3 years. The timing of fruiting is also affected by weather conditions, plant care, and the supply of nutrients from the soil.

Harvesting

The fruiting of the crop is extended over time. Depending on the variety, the harvest is harvested from late May to August. Mulberries that have acquired a dark color are removed from the tree. Ripe and still green fruits may hang on the branches. However, the crop often falls off as it ripens.

Mulberry is characterized by high productivity. One tree bears up to 100 kg of fruit. The berries are stored for no more than 2 - 3 days, after which they release a lot of juice and spoil. The harvest cannot be transported for a long time, so mulberry fruits should be used immediately after harvest.

Reproduction

To propagate mulberries, the following methods are chosen:

Seeds. Fresh mulberry seeds are used for planting. Work begins in October. The achenes are cleaned and kept for 3 hours in water with the addition of a growth stimulator. Then they are planted in the ground. If planting is planned for spring, then the material is stratified. The seeds are planted to a depth of 3 cm, and a layer of mulch is poured on top. The seedlings are watered and fed. In autumn, mulberries can be planted. Fruiting of seedlings will begin in the 5th year. The disadvantage of this method is that the tree does not always inherit the characteristics of the parent variety.
Cuttings. In June, cuttings are cut 20 cm long and have 3 buds. They are planted in a greenhouse, where high humidity is created. The cuttings will be able to take root before the fall, but they are transferred to open ground only the next year.
Root shoots. The shoots that appear at the base of the mulberry tree can be separated and transplanted to a new location. At the same time, the new plant completely retains the characteristics of the mother plant.

Diseases and pests

Black mulberry has high immunity to fungal diseases. The crop is most susceptible to powdery mildew, brown spot, and bacteriosis. The main signs of disease appear in the appearance of dark, yellow or whitish spots on mulberry leaves, as well as in their falling off. To combat lesions, the drugs Silit, Fitoflavin, and Bordeaux mixture are used.

Important! Chemicals should not be used 3 weeks before the mulberry crop ripens.

The mulberry tree attracts moths, white butterflies, and spider mites. Actellik, Chlorophos, and Kleschevit insecticides are used against pests. For prevention, fallen leaves are annually removed and burned, in which insects can often overwinter.

Recipes with black mulberries

Homemade preparations will help preserve the beneficial properties of black mulberry. Jam, marmalade, compote, marmalade, and wine are made from mulberries. Fresh or processed berries are added to desserts, smoothies, and baked goods. They go well with pear, plum, peach, raspberry, yogurt, and cream cheese.

A simple recipe for mulberry jam:

Ingredients:

ripe berries – 1 kg;
sugar – 1.3 kg;
lemon – 3 pcs.

Cooking sequence:

Lemons and peels are passed through a meat grinder. Then add fruits and sugar.
Cover the mixture with a lid and keep it for 3-4 hours so that the juice comes out of it.
Place the pan on the stove, turn on medium heat and bring to a boil.
After the jam is cooled, then put back on the fire and cook for 30 minutes. The whole procedure is repeated again.
The hot product is distributed into jars and covered with lids.

To get jam, the berries are also minced in a meat grinder. Then put the resulting mass on the fire and cook until tender.

Ingredients for preparing 2 liters of mulberry compote:

mulberry – 1 kg;
granulated sugar – 350 g;
water – 650 ml;
citric acid – 1 g.

Procedure for preparing mulberry compote:

Ripe berries are carefully washed with warm water.
The stalks of mulberry fruits are removed.
The jar is washed with water and soda and heated in the oven.
Prepared fruits are poured into the container.
A syrup consisting of water, sugar and citric acid is placed on the fire. The mixture is brought to a boil, then the berries are poured into the jars.
Jars of compote are pasteurized in a water bath for 20 minutes and preserved for the winter.

To make black mulberry marmalade you need:

ripe fruits – 1 kg;
sugar – 500 g.

Instructions for making mulberry marmalade:

The mulberries are washed and destemmed. Then rub through a sieve to separate the seeds.
Pour sugar into the resulting mass and place on high heat.
Boil the marmalade until thickened, stirring constantly.
The finished marmalade is placed in jars.

Ingredients for making homemade black mulberry wine:

mulberry – 1 kg;
water – 0.5 l;
granulated sugar – 150 g;
cinnamon – 5 g;
white wine – 100 ml.

The process of making mulberry wine consists of the following steps:

Mulberries are harvested in dry weather when they reach a black color. The fruits are washed and left to dry for 24 hours.
Juice is squeezed out of black mulberry in any convenient way: from 1 kg of harvest, about 500 ml of juice is usually obtained.
Mix equal amounts of mulberry juice and water, add cinnamon and sugar.
The liquid is poured into jars. At the same time, make sure that a quarter of the volume of each jar remains free.
A water seal is installed on the neck, which can be made from a medical glove with a hole in the finger. The contents are left to ferment for a week.
The raw material is filtered, then white wine is added to it.
The drink is kept for 2 weeks in a dark place at a temperature of 15 – 25 °C: When fermentation ends, the glove is blown off. The wine is poured into the bottle using a straw, without touching the sediment at the bottom.
The bottle is hermetically sealed, a water seal is installed and young black mulberry wine is kept in a dark place at 16 ^OC. At this time, it is necessary to check the sediment and periodically get rid of it by pouring it into another bottle.

Conclusion

Black mulberry is an unpretentious and productive crop. Its value lies in its fruits, leaves and bark, which have medicinal properties.The tree is not demanding of external conditions, but a good harvest is obtained with constant care.

Black mulberry: photo and description