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'Mulberry' ('''Morus''') is a genus of 10–16 species of deciduous trees native to warm temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and North America, with the majority of the species native to Asia.
The closely related genus ''Broussonetia'' is also commonly known as mulberry, notably the Paper Mulberry ''Broussonetia papyrifera''.
Mulberries are fast-growing when young, but soon become slow-growing and rarely exceed 10-15 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, often lobed, more often lobed on juvenile shoots than on mature trees, and serrated on the margin. The fruit is a multiple fruit, 2-3 cm long. Mulberries begin as white to pale yellow with pink edges. They are red when ripening. A fully ripened mulberry is dark purple to black, edible, and sweet with a good flavor in several species.

Contents

Species

Uses and cultivation

In culture

Notes

References and external links

Species

The taxonomy of ''Morus'' is complex and disputed. Over 150 species names have been published, but only 10-16 are generally cited as being accepted, though different sources cite ''different'' selections of accepted names. The classification is also complicated by widespread hybridisation, with the hybrids being fertile.
The following species are generally accepted:

★ ''Morus alba'' (White Mulberry; eastern Asia)

★ ''Morus australis'' (Chinese Mulberry; southeastern Asia)

★ ''Morus mesozygia'' (African Mulberry; southern and central Africa)

★ ''Morus microphylla'' (Texas Mulberry; south central North America: Texas, Mexico)

★ ''Morus nigra'' (Black Mulberry; southwest Asia)

★ ''Morus rubra'' (Red Mulberry; eastern North America)
The following, all from eastern and southern Asia, are additionally accepted by one or more taxonomic lists or studies; synonymy as given by other lists or studies is indicated in brackets:

★ ''Morus atropurpurea''

★ ''Morus bombycis'' (''M. australis'')

★ ''Morus cathayana''

★ ''Morus indica'' (''M. alba'')

★ ''Morus japonica'' (''M. alba'')

★ ''Morus kagayamae'' (''M. australis'')

★ ''Morus laevigata'' (''M. alba'' var. ''laevigata, M. macroura'')

★ ''Morus latifolia'' (''M. alba'')

★ ''Morus liboensis''

★ ''Morus macroura'' (''M. alba'' var. ''laevigata'')

★ ''Morus mongolica'' (''M. alba'' var. ''mongolica'')

★ ''Morus multicaulis'' (''M. alba'')

★ ''Morus notabilis''

★ ''Morus rotundiloba''

★ ''Morus serrata'' (Himalayan Mulberry; ''M. alba'' var. ''serrata'')

★ ''Morus tillaefolia''

★ ''Morus trilobata'' (''M. australis'' var. trilobata'')

★ ''Morus wittiorum''

Uses and cultivation

The ripe fruit is edible and is widely used in pies, tarts, wines and cordials. The fruit of the Black Mulberry, native to southwest Asia, and the Red Mulberry, native to eastern North America, have the strongest flavour. The fruit of the White Mulberry, an east Asian species which is extensively naturalised in urban regions of eastern North America, has a different flavour, sometimes characterised as insipid. The mature fruit contains significant amounts of resveratrol. It is known, though, that unripe fruit and green parts of the plant have a white sap that is intoxicating and mildly hallucinogenic.^[1]
Black, red and white Mulberry are widespread in Northern India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, where the tree and the fruit are known by the Persian-derived names ''Toot'' (Mulberry) or ''Shahtoot'' (King's or "Superior" Mulberry). Jams and sherbets are often made from the fruit in this region. The black mulberry was imported into Britain in the 17th. century in the hope that it would be useful in the cultivation of silkworms. It was much used in folk medicine, especially in the treatment of ringworm.
Mulberry leaves, particularly those of the White Mulberry, are ecologically important as the sole food source of the silkworm, the pupa/cocoon of which is used to make silk. Other Lepidoptera larvae also sometimes feed on the plant including Common Emerald, Lime Hawk-moth and The Sycamore.
Mulberries can be grown from seed, and this is often advised as seedling-grown trees are generally of better shape and health. However, they are most often planted from large cuttings, which take root readily.

In culture

A love story about Pyramus and Thisbe explains the color of the fruits.

Notes

1. Erowid Mulberry Vault : Hallucinogenic properties

References and external links

★ Flora of China: ''Morus''

★ Flora of North America: ''Morus''

★ University of Melbourne: Sorting ''Morus'' names

★ Museum of Cape Town: Moraceae

★ Zhao Weiguo, Pan Yile, Zhang Zhifang Jia Shihai, Miao Xuexia & Huang Yongping. 2005. Phylogeny of the genus Morus. ''African Journal of Biotechnology'' 4 (6): 563-569 Online (pdf file)