White Mulberry

White Mulberry

This genus of ten species of deciduous trees occurs in N and S America, Africa, and Asia, mainly in subtropical regions. Both Morus alba and M. nigra have been cultivated for centuries and have an attractive, often gnarled appearance, edible, blackberry-like fruits, and medicinal properties. They have similar constituents and are interchangeable for medicinal purposes, though M. nigra is superior for fruit production. Morus alba has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since CE659. THe leaves, root bark, branches, and fruits are still listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (1985) but other parts, including sap and wood ash, are also widely used. All parts are prepared in a great variety of ways. Research has shown improvements in elephantiasis when treated with leaf extract injections, and in tetanus following oral doses of sap mixed with sugar. Morus alba is also the preferred food of silkworms and is widely cultivated for this purpose. In China the start of silk production using mulberry leaves is generally attributed to the Empress Si-Ling, who lived c.2960BCE. Morus is the original Latin name from mulberry. It comes from demorari, "to delay", and refers to the tree's habit of forming buds only after the last frosts are past.

Deciduous tree with dull green, orange-tinged bark and ovate, toothed leaves, to 20cm (8in) long. Female flowers are borne in erect, cylindrical catkins, followed by white to pink or purple fruits, 2.5cm (1in) long; male flowers are borne separately on the same plant.

Common Name:	White Mulberry
Botanical Name:	Morus Alba
Genus:	Morus
Family:	Moraceae
Native Location:	China
Cultivation:	Rich, deep, well-drained soil in sun. Mulberries have brittle roots and need careful handling when planting. Prune only when fully dormant in winter beause mulberries bleed when cut. Ideally prune only badly placed branches and dead wood. Canker and dieback may damage young shoots..
Propagation:	By seed sown in autumn (species only); by softwood cuttins in summer, or hardwood cuttings in autumn.
Harvest:	For medicinal use, leaves are collected after frost in autumn, branches in late spring or summer, roots in winter, and fruits when nearly ripe. Leaves and root bark are traditionally processed with honey. Fresh leaves and fruits are sometimes juiced but otherwise all parts are dried, for use in decoctions or poultices. Fruits may be steamed or blanched before drying to improve storage qualities; for culinary use they are harvested when ripe.
Height:	20m (70ft)
Width:	10m (30ft)
Variations:	Pendula Has a weeping habit. Height: 3m (10ft) Width: 5m (15ft)
Hardiness:	Z4-9
Parts Used:	Leaves (sang ye), branches (sang zhi), root bark (sang bai pi), fruits (sang shen).
Properties:	A pleasant-tasting, bitter or sweet herb (depending on the part). It increases perspiration rate and has anti-bacterial, cooling effects (leaves), is anti-rheumatic (branches), controls coughing, is expectorant and diuretic (root bark), and has a tonic effect on kidney energy (fruits). Both root bark and branches reduce blood pressure.
Medicinal Uses:	Internally for colds, influenza, eye infections, and nosebleeds (leaves); rheumatic pains and hypertension (branches); coughs, asthma, bronchitis, edema, hypertension, and diabetes (root bark); urinary incontinence, tinnitus, premature graying of hair, thirst, constipation in the elderly (fruits).
Culinary Uses:	Fruits are dried, or eaten fresh and made into jellies, jams, syrup and wine.
Economic Uses:	Leaves are fed to silkworms. Wood is used in aging balsamic vinegar, and in the manufacture of sports equiptment, such as tennis rackets and bats, especially in India.
Bibliography:	Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited. pg 222