About

Morus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consisting of 17 species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many warm-temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 subordinate taxa; although the three of most common are referred to as white, red, and black, originating from the colour of their dormant buds, and not necessarily the fruit colour (Morus alba, M. rubra, and M. nigra, respectively), with numerous cultivars and some taxa currently unchecked and awaiting taxonomic scrutiny. Morus alba is native to China, but is widely cultivated and often naturalised across Europe, Southern Africa, South America, and North America; it is also the species most preferred by the silkworm. It is regarded as an invasive species in Brazil, the United States and some states of Australia.

How to grow it

Mulberries can be grown from seed, and this is often advised, as seedling-grown trees are generally of better shape and health. Mulberry trees grown from seed can take up to ten years to bear fruit. Mulberries are most often planted from large cuttings, which root readily. The mulberry plants allowed to grow tall have a crown height of 1.5 to 1.8 m (5 to 6 ft) from ground level and a stem girth of 10–13 cm (4–5 in). They are specially raised with the help of well-grown saplings 8–10 months old of any of the varieties recommended for rainfed areas like S-13 (for red loamy soil) or S-34 (black cotton soil), which are tolerant to drought or soil-moisture stress conditions. Usually, the plantation is raised and in block formation with a spacing of 1.8 by 1.8 m (6 by 6 ft), or 2.4 by 2.4 m (8 by 8 ft), as plant-to-plant and row-to-row distances. The plants are usually pruned once a year during the monsoon season to a height of 1.5–1.8 m (5–6 ft) and allowed to grow with a maximum of 8–10 shoots at the crown.

Safety

All parts of the plant besides the ripe fruit can exude a milky sap (latex) which is mildly toxic if ingested, causing digestive distress and, at larger doses, hallucinations. It is also an irritant and may cause a skin rash on contact. Unripe green fruit may cause nausea, cramps, and be hallucinogenic. The berries have a laxative effect; too many will cause diarrhea.

Some North American cities have banned the planting of mulberries because of the large amounts of pollen they produce, posing a potential health hazard for some pollen allergy sufferers. Only the male mulberry trees produce pollen; this lightweight pollen can be inhaled deeply into the lungs, sometimes triggering asthma. Conversely, female mulberry trees produce all-female flowers, which draw pollen and dust from the air. Because of this pollen-absorbing feature, all-female mulberry trees have an OPALS allergy scale rating of just 1 (lowest level of allergy potential), and some consider it "allergy-free".

Where it grows

The genus is widespread in warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, eastern and southern North America, and northwestern South America.

Uses

Raw mulberries are 88% water, 10% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and less than 1% fat. In a 100-gram (3.5-ounce) reference amount, raw mulberries provide 43 calories, 44% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C, and 14% of the DV for iron; other micronutrients are insignificant in quantity.

Other Morus plants

White Mulberry · Indian Mulberry · Mongolian Mulberry · Black Mulberry · Red mulberry