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

Black mulberry is common in Asian countries, but is increasingly found in the middle lane. It is appreciated for its delicious and healthy berries. For the successful cultivation of mulberries, it is important to find a suitable place 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 as the mulberry tree, here, the mulberry tree. The culture originates from Southwest Asia, from where it gradually spread westward. The lifespan of a mulberry tree is up to 200 years.

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

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

You can assess the appearance of a culture by looking at 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 shrub. Black mulberry tolerates gas pollution in cities and is suitable for planting in parks.

How the black mulberry blooms

In a southern climate, the mulberry tree blooms in April, in the Middle Lane - in May or June. The pollen of the plant is carried by the wind, as well as by insects. Mulberry is a dioecious plant. Flowers of the female and male types are on different trees. Therefore, at least 2 mulberry trees are planted to form the crop. Some cultivated varieties have both types of inflorescences and do not require pollinators.

Why is black mulberry tree useful?

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

The benefits of black mulberry are due to its composition, which includes:

resveratrol - a plant antioxidant that protects against the spread of bacteria and fungus;
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 prized 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, 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 disease, you should consult your doctor before eating mulberry.

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.

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

Black mulberry varieties

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

Mulberry black Nadia

The mulberry tree Nadia looks like 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.

Fruits are purple, almost black, not very large. The length of the berries is 2.5 - 3 cm. The taste is 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 Black Prince mulberry 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.

The mulberry variety Black Prince blooms in April - May. Fruiting takes place in the second half of summer. Productivity 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 a similar time. Mulberry Black Prince is unpretentious to growing conditions and is suitable for planting in northern regions.

Admiral's

Mulberry Admiral was included in the State Register in 2017. This is a late ripening variety, the purpose of its berries is universal. Spreading mulberry, high vigor, forms a powerful trunk with dark gray bark. Its shoots are straight, green. The leaves of the variety are matte, medium-sized, ovoid.

The fruits of the variety have a mass of up to 1.7 g, cylindrical, black in color, covered with a thin skin. The sugar content is 19.2%. The taste is sweet with refreshing notes. The Admiralskiy variety is distinguished by its resistance to drought and winter frosts. No disease or pest damage was found.

Royal

Royal - one of the large-fruited varieties of black mulberry. The tree is medium-sized, up to 8 m high, forms a thickened spreading crown. Leaves are glossy, green in color. Fruits reach a weight of 20 g and a length of 6 cm. The palatability is assessed at a high level. The berries are stored for several days.

The Korolevskaya variety enters fruiting early and yields a harvest in the first year after planting. Early ripening: begins in early June. The mulberry tree is frost-resistant, tolerates summer drought well.

Istanbul Black

Mulberry Istanbul Black - 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. Flowers are collected in inflorescences in the form of an ear. The leaves are green, ovoid.

The mulberry tree blooms in the last decade of April. The variety is late and self-pollinated. The ripening period starts from the end of July and lasts until August. The fruits are dark, almost black in color, 3 cm long. The taste is sweet, with a subtle sourness.

Important! The Stambulskaya Black variety is unpretentious to growing conditions, tolerates winter frosts without any problems.

Staromoskovskaya

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

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

Black Pearl

Mulberry Black Pearl is a tall tree with a spherical crown. When trimming the central conductor, the mulberry tree is grown in the form of 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 takes place in June - July.

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

Growing and caring for black mulberry

In order to benefit from the black mulberry tree, it is important to find the right place for it. During cultivation, the tree is given constant care.

Selection and preparation of the landing site

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

Basic requirements for the soil:

looseness;
fertility;
lack of moisture stagnation;
the groundwater level is below 1.5 m.

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

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

Landing rules

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

Mulberry planting order:

First, a pit is dug with a diameter of 50 cm to a depth of 60 cm.
To fill the pit, 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 landing procedure does not depend on the period of work. The seedling is tied to a support, and a layer of humus is poured into the trunk circle for mulching.

Watering and feeding

Mulberry tolerates short-term drought well. If precipitation often falls in the region, then moisture can be dispensed with. The mulberry tree is watered only in severe drought. Water is required from April to July. When growing black mulberry, warm settled water is used. It is introduced strictly into the trunk circle, it is best to choose morning or evening hours.

Advice! It is especially important to monitor soil moisture during flowering and at the beginning of fruiting. The yield of the mulberry tree 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 contributes to the growth of green mass. During the flowering of the plant and the ripening of the fruits, superphosphate and potassium are added. These substances improve the taste and quality of the berries. For 10 liters of water, it is enough to add 40 g of each fertilizer.

Pruning

The mulberry tree is pruned during the dormant period. This period falls in early spring or late autumn.Best of all, the tree tolerates processing in spring: in late April or early May, when the leaves have not yet blossomed.

In a 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 cut the top at a height of 2 m and form a crown of 9 - 12 shoots. In the future, the selected shape of the plant is maintained and excess processes are eliminated.

In the fall, they carry out sanitary pruning of mulberry trees, removing old, broken, dry and diseased shoots. Weak processes 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 improve the cold hardiness of black mulberries. In autumn, the tree is watered abundantly so that the moist soil protects the roots from freezing. Then the trunk is hilled and peat or humus is poured into the near-trunk circle.

A young mulberry tree is protected from cold weather using a frame structure. It is made of wood or metal and then placed over the seedling. Spandbond or agrofiber is attached to the supports. It is not recommended to use polyethylene for shelter, which is poorly permeable to moisture and air.

When the black mulberry begins to bear fruit after planting

Typically, the mulberry tree brings its first crop 4 - 5 years after planting. Breeders managed to develop varieties that bear fruit for 2 - 3 years. The timing of fruiting is also influenced by weather conditions, plant care, and the intake of nutrients from the soil.

Harvesting

Fruiting of the culture is extended over time. Depending on the variety, the harvest is harvested from late May to August. Mulberries are removed from the tree, which have acquired a dark color. Ripe and still green fruits can hang on the branches. However, the crop often crumbles as it ripens.

The mulberry tree has a high yield. One tree bears up to 100 kg of fruit. The berries are stored for no more than 2 - 3 days, after which they emit a lot of juice and deteriorate. The crop cannot be transported for a long time, therefore, mulberries should be used immediately after harvest.

Reproduction

For the multiplication of mulberries, the following methods are chosen:

Seeds. For planting, fresh mulberry seeds are used. Work begins in October. Achenes are cleaned and kept in water for 3 hours with the addition of a growth stimulant. Then they are planted in the ground. If the planting is planned for the 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. Seedlings are watered and fed. In the fall, 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 with a length of 20 cm and 3 buds. They are planted in a greenhouse, where they create high humidity. The cuttings will be able to take root until the fall, but they are only transferred to the open ground until the next year.
Root processes. 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 characteristics of the maternal plant are completely preserved in the new plant.

Diseases and pests

Black mulberry has a high immunity to fungal diseases. The culture is most susceptible to powdery mildew, brown spot, bacteriosis. The main signs of diseases are manifested in the appearance of dark, yellow or whitish spots on the leaves of a mulberry tree, as well as in their fall. To combat lesions, the drugs Silit, Fitoflavin, Bordeaux liquid are used.

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

The mulberry tree attracts the moth, the white butterfly, and the spider mite. Insecticides Actellik, Chlorofos, Kleschevit are used against pests. For prophylaxis, fallen leaves are removed and burned annually, in which insects can often hibernate.

Black mulberry recipes

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

A simple mulberry jam recipe:

Ingredients:

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

Cooking sequence:

Lemons, along with the peel, are scrolled through a meat grinder. Then add fruits and sugar.
The mass is closed with a lid and kept for 3 - 4 hours so that the juice is released from it.
Place the saucepan on the stove, turn on medium heat and bring to a boil.
After the jam is cooled, then put on the fire again and boiled for 30 minutes. The whole procedure is repeated once more.
The hot product is distributed among the jars and covered with lids.

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

Components for making 2 liters of mulberry compote:

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

The procedure for preparing mulberry compote:

Ripe berries are gently washed with warm water.
The stalks are removed from mulberries.
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 put on the fire. The composition is brought to a boil, then the berries are poured in jars.
Jars with compote are pasteurized in a water bath for 20 minutes and preserved for the winter.

To obtain black mulberry marmalade, you need:

ripe fruits - 1 kg;
sugar - 500 g.

Instructions for making mulberry marmalade:

The mulberry is washed and peeled from the stalks. Then rub through a sieve to separate the seeds.
Sugar is poured into the resulting mass and put on high heat.
The marmalade is boiled until thickened, stirring constantly.
Ready marmalade is laid out in banks.

Ingredients for making homemade black mulberry wine:

mulberry tree - 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 stages:

Mulberries are harvested in dry weather when they reach black. 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, they ensure that a quarter of the volume of each can remains free.
A water seal is installed on the neck, which can be made from a medical glove with a perforated finger. The contents are left to ferment for a week.
Raw materials are 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 deflated. The wine is poured into a bottle with a straw, without touching the sediment at the bottom.
The bottle is hermetically closed, a water seal is installed and the young black mulberry wine is kept in a dark place at 16 ^aboutC. At this time, it is necessary to check the sediment and periodically dispose of it by pouring it into another bottle.

Conclusion

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

Black mulberry: photo and description