The mulberry is black and white, beautiful and healthy. Black Mulberry Varieties

* Black mulberry - mulberry tree - a long-lived tree that has been cultivated since ancient times. Probably, it came to Europe from Iran; in the wild it grows in Asia Minor. Wild forms growing in the warm regions of Europe and North America are often found in Spain and Italy, mainly on the outskirts of meadows and forests. However, there mulberry was used mainly as decorative tree in parks and home gardens. Added benefit trees are very sweet and sour berries. We have mulberry spread in Central Asia, Crimea, the Caucasus, Ukraine, although it adapts well to low temperatures and successfully grows in more northern regions, up to the Leningrad region. In the northern latitudes, varieties of white mulberry are often grown, which is so called because of the color of the bark, and after ripening the fruits may have a purple-black color - the same as that of black mulberry. For this reason, these two trees are often confused. The fruits of black mulberry, however, are more tasty, therefore it is preferable in cultivation.

Characteristic

Black mulberry - a tree with a thick, spherical, sprawling crown, reaching up to 15 m in height. The tree is covered with large, dissected, variable-shaped leaves of dark green color. Leaf blades are smooth and shiny, unlike white mulberry, whose leaves are very hairy. Mulberry blossoms from May to June, Male and female flowers are on different trees, although, often, there are specimens having both male and female flowers. Men's flowers after flowering, they crumble, and fleshy fruits form from the female ones. They ripen gradually from mid-July to August. Dark red, almost black berries have a spherical shape, about 3 cm. Mature ripe quickly. Their juice paints hands and mouth in intense color.

Growing requirements

Black mulberry, as well as white, is not particularly demanding on growing conditions. It is quite tolerant of various soils, but more likes warm, well-drained sandy or su clay soils. It does not tolerate waterlogging and heavy soil. The mulberry tree has a deep-lying and well-branched root systemTherefore, it can extract water and nutrients from deeper layers of the soil. This thermophilic tree grows well in a sunny, sheltered from the wind. Black mulberry is less resistant to low temperatures, as is white and in colder regions, especially young ones, tree stems can freeze. It tolerates air pollution, so they are recommended to be planted as a decorative tree in the green areas of cities. The mulberry tree is easy to grow, it grows quickly, it can reach 8 m in height and 5 m wide over 10 years. Mulberry does not require pruning, although they can be pruned decorative purposesFor example, to create high hedges. This procedure should be performed during the winter, when the plant is completely asleep, because mulberry produces milk juice that oozes from copiously damaged tissues. However, strong trimming should be avoided. If necessary, remove dry and intersecting branches of the crown. This plant is rarely infected with pests and diseases, does not require chemical protection and suitable for organic farming.

Mulberry propagation

Mulberry tree can be propagated by lignified cuttings. In early spring or stalks 30 cm long are harvested in the fall, so that they include 2-year-old wood. All are deleted side shoots, leaves at least 3 healthy kidneys, and then digs 10 cm into the ground. The cutlery can be planted right at the place where you want the tree to grow, but in a colder climate it is better to root it in a warm room. Young trees can also be obtained by sowing seeds. Seeds germinate better during 2-3 months of stratification, that is, after overwintering. Potted plants cannot be planted on permanent place before the threat passes spring frost. It is advisable to plant a seedling in an open sunny place, it is good that the pit is tucked organic fertilizer. Particular attention must be paid so as not to damage the fragile roots.

Properties and Application

The berries of black mulberry can be consumed immediately after harvesting or processing, they are not suitable for long-term storage. The fruits are juicy and slightly sour, have a refreshing taste and are ideal for desserts or preserves, marmalade, juices and liquors. In addition to taste, they contain many important nutrients and vitamins, in particular vitamins A, C, B vitamins, flavonoids, coumarins and tannins. Mulberry tree is also one of the anthocyanins with a cardioprotective effect, contains natural dyes, so the juice can be used to color products. In addition, these compounds have strong antioxidant properties.
Almost all parts of the plant have long been used in Chinese medicine. Fruits increase the body's immunity, cleanse the body and have diuretic properties. Fruit juice is useful in the treatment of the heart and blood vessels, in addition, it has hematopoietic and hemostatic properties, it is recommended for anemia. Leaf preparations, especially white mulberry leaves, effectively lower blood sugar. Leaf extracts have antibacterial, astringent and diaphoretic properties. The bark has an antitussive, expectorant and diuretic property, and infusions are used to treat asthma, cough and bronchitis.

The mulberry tree has been known since time immemorial - the first paper was made of its wood, the production of natural silk was connected with its leaves, and the delicious berries, wines and desserts made from them are now known all over the world. There are several cultivated species: white mulberry It is grown for the sake of berries and leaves that go to silkworm fodder, black mulberry throughout Europe is cultivated for the tasty berries and decorative qualities of the tree itself, its leaves turned out to be too coarse for the silkworm, red mulberry also values \u200b\u200bfruits and appearance. In America, a mulberry tree grows with inedible fruits, in which only wood is valued.

Description

Iran is considered the birthplace of black mulberry. Shrub and tree are known, which belong to the Mulberry family. A tree in the wild can grow up to 35 m tall, so in the garden its growth is usually limited. It belongs to deciduous crops, that is, every spring young green leaves grow from the buds. By mid-summer, they can be quite large - up to 25 cm long and 15 cm wide, and in autumn almost all varieties are pleased with a beautiful color change, the trees turn yellow and majestically crumble. Trees live for several centuries, specimens of 200, 300 years and even more are known, begin to bear fruit after reaching 5-8 years, some varieties even later, and grafted plants bear fruit in the third year.

Among the mulberries, there are monoecious - they have male and female flowers located nearby, and dioecious - with flowers of only one gender. Flowers are pollinated by the wind, one monoecious tree is enough to provide the family with delicious sweet berries, since a 10-year-old tree can produce up to 100 kg of fruit per season.

The fruit they have is a drupe, what we call the incorrect berry, in reality, are tiny drupe sitting tightly on the sprouted stalk. Such a false berry in black mulberry is usually very dark, purple or red to black, but this is not called black mulberry, because white mulberry fruits are also not only white, but also black. White and black mulberries differ in the color of the bark - for white it is light, light brown, or yellowish, and for black it is much darker, it happens with a red tint, it is covered with lace of small cracks. And the fruits (the so-called berries) are small about 1 cm long, but in cultivated varieties usually from 2.5 to 5.5 cm.

The fruits are not only tasty, sweet, sometimes with acidity, juicy, with amazingly persistent ink, stains from which it is difficult to remove from the fabric. They contain many useful substances - vitamins A, C, B1, B6, K, E, PP, carotene, macro and micronutrients, sugars and acids, essential oils. Thanks to such a rich composition, they have a beneficial effect on the human body, help strengthen immunity, correct a disturbed metabolism, restore the work of many internal organs, disturbed by diseases. ethnoscience for centuries uses all parts of a plant to enhance human health, to alleviate many conditions.
Berries are eaten fresh, but they are stored for no more than three days, so many are prepared from them. delicious desserts, dried, canned, made wine and even vodka. The fruits ripen unevenly, next to the black ripened berries there may be red of different shades (different degrees of maturity) or even just formed. Ripening sometimes stretches for 1.5 - 2 months - from the end of June to August. Overripe fruits crumble. Harvest by shaking, spread a film or cloth under a tree, shake the branches, and then pour the crop from the film into a more suitable container.

Video “Features of growing mulberries”

From the presented video you will learn how to grow mulberry.

Breeding

For the reproduction of mulberries, seeds are used, root shoot, cuttings and layering. Seeds sprout perfectly, for this they must pass stratification, they are sown in the winter in the garden, then watered, mulched. In spring sowing, the seeds are prepared - they are kept in the refrigerator for two months, and only once a week they are taken out to a warm room.
They sprout well, then they are looked after as usual seedlings, excellent sprouting material will grow from these sprouts. Unfortunately, the seeds do not guarantee the preservation of the characteristics of the mother tree by the plant, it is not even possible to know whether a monoecious or dioecious plant can be obtained, therefore, the desired variety is planted on them, and such a plant will grow healthy and begin to bear fruit earlier than it appeared in another way.

Root shoots appear under almost every tree, such a sprout can simply be separated, trying not to damage the roots, and transplanted to a new place, but such plants also do not retain the features of the mother tree - to plant such a seedling on your plot is the same as buying a cat in bag.

Young or semi-lignified shoots are taken for cuttings, but they are very poorly rooted, this can be done, but installation of artificial fog will be necessary - they need so much moisture. Usually summer residents do not do this, it’s much easier to plant a branch from good tree on seedlings obtained from seeds or on the root process.

Cuttings are easy to get from shrubs, tree branches are far from the ground, it is simply physically impossible to bend, but seedlings obtained by rooting the cuttings most often grow into a strong tree, retain all the characteristics of the variety maternal plant. You can cut a thick branch in the spring, during the summer flexible young branches will grow on the stump, which will easily bend to the ground. In the spring of next year, you need to take a branch, bend it to the ground, in a place that can be buried, remove the bark in a ring around the entire branch by a couple of centimeters, pin it to the ground, bury, water, and spud until the end of the growing season. By autumn, it will take root, it can be cut off from the mother tree and planted in a permanent place of growth.

Some gardeners make layering in one season, but for this you will have to deliver the land to the branch, since it can not get to the ground. Need to do plastic sleeve - a long bag with a cut bottom, put it on the selected branch, a few centimeters below the bare place (the bark is removed in the ring beforehand), tie it tightly. Then moist moist soil is poured into this resulting package, the bare place of the branch is fixed in it, tying the package above this place. It is advisable to cover this branch of the garden so that direct sunlight does not fall on it, and by the autumn the branch should take root, then it can be cut off and planted already by an independent seedling.

Mulberry grafts well, therefore, when propagating, it is best to plant the desired variety on a seedling obtained in any way, this will accelerate the beginning of fruiting.

Care Features

When a new tree is planted in the garden, it is usually watered, fed, protected from pests, weed and loosen trunk circle, and also, it is cut once or twice a year. Mulberry needs the same care, but when settling black mulberry in its garden, you need to know some of the nuances of caring for this particular type of mulberry tree. So, you can water and feed it only in the spring and at the very beginning of summer, in the middle of June, all these activities are stopped, only in this case the tree wintes well. Watering should be restrained if there is no rain at all, and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers should be done after 4 or 5 years of tree life.
An adult tree can be watered more (in spring), and fertilizers can be added if the state of greenery shows the need for these actions. The fact is that the black variety of mulberry suffers the worst of all cold, it is used to growing in warm climates with long summers and mild winterif you give her a lot of water and fertilizers, she will not prepare for wintering, she will try to extend her vegetation period, which means that with the advent of frosts it can freeze.

When planting a seedling, the pit needs to be filled only with soil without additional fertilizers. If the soil is completely depleted, you need to prepare it in advance, dig a deep area of \u200b\u200bsize 1 square meter, add peat if the soil is too heavy or compost (humus) if sandy and infertile.

It is better to do this in the fall for spring planting or in the middle of summer for autumn planting. Then you just need to dig a hole suitable sizes, drive a strong stake into its bottom, lower the seedling, straighten all the roots, carefully sprinkle them with earth, then fill up the hole completely, press down the earth around the trunk, tie the seedling to the stake, pour it with two buckets of water, mulch the trunk circle. Mulberry roots are very fragile, you need to make sure that they are not damaged during planting, and then dig around the tree less, loosen the ground very carefully. Experts say that having received a lot of fertilizers, the seedling will be fattening, which means that it will not have time to get ready for winter.

Young mulberry trees grow quickly, you need to immediately determine the growth to which you will allow it to grow, boldly prune, forming a crown, from the first year. Bushes are planted at a distance of 1.5 - 2 m and rows are made after 3 m. But the tree needs to be planted 5 m from other large trees, otherwise it will not have enough space. But the mulberry tree loves a lot of sun, only it is desirable to protect it from the north wind.

In the spring, they make forming pruning. Usually they leave a clean trunk up to 1.5 m, removing all side shoots below this mark, and then form the skeleton of the crown, most often spherical. It is possible to form a low tree, like a dwarf apple tree, to do this, cut the central conductor at a selected height, leave up to 8 - 10 skeletal branches, adjusting their length. If the tree is allowed to grow up to 2 - 3 meters, then the central conductor is cut off after this mark, and skeletal branches are cut as needed to limit the growth of the crown. Weeping varieties usually only monitor the length of the shoots and thin out the crown. At pruning remove all branches damaged or growing in the middle of the crown, thinning is also done in the spring. It is necessary to ensure that the crown does not become too thickened, the sun must penetrate into the tree, otherwise its lack will affect the ripening of the fruits.

Mulberry is very rarely ill, but it can be affected by bacteriosis, cylindrosporosis, curly small-leaved, powdery mildewroot rot. There are special drugs that are sure to save from each of these misfortunes, but it’s better to take preventative measures - do not allow thickening of the crown, excessive humidity, excess nitrogen fertilizer. Fallen leaves are best removed from under the tree, to prevent overgrowth of weeds.

If grubs and bears settled on the site, then the mulberry roots may suffer from them, but the American white butterfly can damage the greenery, spider mite, Comstock Worm. Pests settle in cracks of the bark or among the leaves, they breed offspring that feeds on buds, foliage or sap of the tree. In order to notice their appearance in time and start the fight, you need to carefully inspect the tree, you can often collect nests (butterflies), destroy the larvae in time, or use special traps that suit the tree. Black mulberry very rarely suffers from diseases and pests, but you need to be careful to notice troubles early if they do occur. But the birds always try to take a tasty crop before the owners, often they have to save berries from them.

Varieties of varieties

Selection work on mulberry varieties is ongoing, many teams are trying to make black mulberry more frost-resistant. The variety of Poltava breeder “Shelli No. 150” is very popular. It is distinguished by large sweet black berries with a weight of 4 to 6 g each (5.5 cm long). The berries begin to ripen at the end of May, all June you can eat them fresh.

Among large-fruited varieties are distinguished "Black Prince", "Black Pearl". In July, also quite large (up to 5 cm long) berries of the Nadezhda variety ripen; they have noticeable sourness in taste. Trees grow up to 10 meters, are afraid of frost. In the suburbs cultivated varieties "Staromoskovskaya", "Fruit - 4", "Royal". They do not have such large fruits, but one thing adult tree can give from 60 to 90 kg of sweet healthy berries.

Video “The Subtleties of Mulberry Tree Care”

From the presented video you will learn about all the subtleties of caring for mulberry.

Black mulberry is a mulberry, a close relative of white mulberry.

Trees differ not only in the color and taste of berries (black is more aromatic and sweeter), but also in that the silkworm prefers more soft leaves white mulberry.

Black Mulberry: Description

Mulberry trees are grown for breeding silkworm caterpillars, which wrap their pupae in silk threads. Natural silk is obtained from these threads - fabric, the secret of the production of which for a long time was known only in China.

deciduous tree originally from Afghanistan and Iran, growing up to fifteen meters. Tree is different rapid growth at a young age, but over time, growth slows down. The mulberry has a lush spreading crown, a darkish bark and thin shoots. Large foliage up to 20 cm long and 15 cm wide. The shape of the leaves resembles a blade, the upper surface of the leaf plate is rough to the touch, the lower is soft, felt. 3-5 years is the age when mulberry first begins to bear fruit after planting. It is literally covered with ink-black, glossy berries up to 3 cm long, juicy sweet and sour berries taste. Usually mulberry comes into active fruiting in the fifth year after planting. Black mulberry is thermophilic, tolerates dry periods well.

Did you know? Under Ivan the Terrible, a silk-weaving factory was created in Russia, producing delicate silk for royal family and the yard. Peter the First banned the cutting of mulberries in Russia due to the extraordinary value of wood for weaving. And in Central Asia, musical instruments were made from valuable wood.

Features of planting black mulberry

The best dates for planting mulberries - April, until the movement of juices has begun, the beginning of autumn, the period before the rainy season. Autumn landing even preferable: a sapling that has survived the winter will grow a healthy tree with good productivity.

Choosing a place to land

Black mulberry for successful cultivation planted in open to the sun, but closed to the winds plot. Bedding groundwater should be no less than one and a half meters below the ground surface. Dry, swampy soil is not suitable for mulberry, mulberry does not like sandstone and salty soil.

Planting scheme of black mulberry

A pit for a mulberry seedling is prepared two weeks before planting. The depth and width of the pit is calculated according to the size of the root system, on average it is 50 x 50 x 50 cm. The pit in poor soils is deepened, taking into account fertilizer. At the bottom put about 5 kg of rotted manure with the addition of 100 g of superphosphate and cover with a layer of soil. Sapling roots should not be in contact with fertilizer when planting. On poorly drained clay soils, drainage (brick fragments, large pebbles) must be put into the pit.

When planting, the seedling is placed at the bottom, distributing the roots, as you fall asleep, the earth is slightly tamped so that there is no air left. If the seedling is too thin and gives you concern, drive a peg into the pit for support. After planting, well water and mulch the trunk circle, you need to pour at least two buckets of water. As mulch, you can use sawdust or peat.

Black Mulberry: features of cultivation

Mulberry mulberry in planting and care does not require a special approach: everything, as with an ordinary fruit tree - watering, fertilizing, cleansing the soil, pruning and other procedures familiar to every gardener.

Black Mulberry Soil Care

Black mulberry needs thorough soil care.The tree trunk circle must be weeded and cleaned of weeds that deprive mulberry of moisture and nutrition. The soil around the tree should be loosened regularly, saturating it with air and moisture. In spring, watering the mulberry is necessary only in the absence of precipitation; in summer, watering is carried out in June and July. In August, it is stopped: the plant enters a dormant phase.

Features of tree pruning

Black mulberry pruning is carried out during the dormant period, it is best in the spring before the juice movement starts, in April. Before the buds bloom, spend anti-aging and shaping pruning. Sanitary pruning - all damaged branches, competing shoots growing inside the crown - is carried out in late autumn after falling leaves, but the air temperature should not be lower than -10 degrees.

Mulberry tree dressing

Black mulberry needs additional nutrition only on poor soils with a lack of nutrition. In this case, the tree is fertilized from spring to July. In early spring, mulberry need nitrogen for growth, then phosphoric and potassium compounds for lush flowering and fruiting.

How to care for mulberries in winter

It is important to know how to care for mulberries in black winter, as this species is worse than others tolerates cold. Black mulberry is more accustomed to a warm climate, so the plant should prepare for winter. First of all, the mulberry does not need to be fertilized greatly, only in case of external signs of malnutrition, in August, stop watering, in the autumn, carry out sanitary pruning.

When planting in regions with a cold climate, the root neck of a seedling is deepened into the ground to protect the plant in winter period. You should not worry about inability to cold: black mulberry in description biological features has one interesting property. A mulberry tree has the ability to grow cork tissue between a mature stem and a young one; in the case of frost, the tree sheds non-survival tissues, but if winter comes out without snow, the tree will die. To prevent this from happening, for the winter the trunk circle is mulched and densely covered, for example, with fir branches.

Interesting! If it were not for the observation of the Chinese princess Xi Liin Shi, the world would not have known what silk is. During a tea party, in the shade of mulberry, Xi Liin noticed a caterpillar cocoon falling into a cup, the strands of a cocoon from water were braided and beautifully poured into the sun. Resourceful Chinese used surveillance to their advantage, for many years monopolizing silk production.

Features of reproduction of black mulberry

The reproduction of black mulberry is possible seed and vegetative method.

During seed propagation, the seeds undergo a stratification procedure, either natural, that is, sowing in the winter, or before sowing in the spring for about two months in the refrigerator, with removal to heat once a week for three to four hours. Before sowing, it is necessary to soak the seeds for a couple of hours in a growth stimulator. The seed touch should not be deep, after sowing the soil is covered with mulch. Seedlings are looked after in the usual way.

Cuttings of black mulberry almost do not give results, oddly enough, but it is this species that does not want to take root and propagate in a similar way.

Consider how else mulberry propagates. Reproduction by root shoots:the seedling is separated from the donor bush and transplanted onto separate place. Care as a young tree.

Attention! At seed method breeding and root shoots may not retain varietal signs of the mother tree, in addition, there is a chance to get a tree only with male flowers (mulberry is a monoecious plant), therefore, the most fruitful method of reproduction is vaccination.

To get varietal seedlings, apply methods of budding and inoculation with a shank under the bark. AT summer period budding is carried out by a sleeping bud, and in the spring - by sprouting. Vaccination is carried out on a growing tree with cuttings with two buds under the bark. A cut on the rootstock is made at an angle of 35 degrees, while the cut on the handle above the kidney is straight, the lower cut is oblique.

Important! The grafted graft on the mulberry is inserted with a cut to the bark, and not to the wood, unlike other plants!

In the future, vaccination is carried out according to general rules.

Black Mulberry: useful properties

Black mulberry has many useful properties. Plant-based drugs recommends and official, and traditional medicine. The remedies are effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, with cardiovascular diseases, especially recommended for patients who underwent heart valve surgery. Regular eating reduces dyspnea, normalizes the heartbeat, strengthens the heart muscle.

Grow in the garden. These are apple trees, pears, cherries, plums and cherries. However, it is quite rare that a mulberry tree is found in it. But in the recent past, it was very popular and affordable. The older generation of gardeners can tell a lot about the useful plant, which is now exotic.

Varieties

An amazing long-liver from China. It has long been grown as a forage crop. The leaves of the tree served as food for the silkworm - a manufacturer of raw materials for the manufacture of unique fabrics. Gardeners grow a mulberry tree belonging to the genus Morus, not for silk production, but as a decorative and fruit crop. The genus consists of twenty-four species. Of these, mulberries are white and black, the distinguishing characteristic of which is the color of the bark of an adult plant. Many gardeners mistakenly believed that mulberries distinguished by the color of berries. However, this is not at all true.

White mulberry has light color bark. But the berries can be white, cream, pink, purple or completely black. The numerous genus Morus is represented by dioecious and rarely monoecious trees. Most of them are thermophilic plants that can be grown in the southern regions. Only white mulberry in middle lane does not freeze, grows well and bears fruit.

Description

Not every fruit plant It boasts its durability. Within two hundred or even three hundred years, mulberry will give birth, over time, without changing its qualities. A sprawling tree reaches a height of twenty to thirty-five meters. Often it is formed in the form of a two- or three-meter bush. The bark is light. The spherical crown is densely covered with oval foliage.

The spike-shaped inflorescences of the mulberry tree are small. They have a light green color. Dioecious or less commonly pollinated by the wind. Drupe fruits form in the form of small fruit. They have a pleasant sweet taste. Depending on the variety, the berries can be colored in various colors. White mulberry ripens from May to July. It bears fruit in the fifth year after planting. Productivity is high. The berry picking period is somewhat stretched due to unripe ripening. They are non-transportable and poorly stored, used immediately after removal.

This mulberry tree is winter-hardy and drought-resistant. These qualities characterize the plant as quite hardy and unpretentious. It is suitable for plots with any type of soil. In addition to these advantages, the mulberry tree is medicinal plant. Fruits are high in vitamins. In addition, they contain flavonoid, morin, carotene, fatty acids, iron salts. Medicinal properties possess not only berries. The bark and leaves of the tree are also used for medicinal purposes.

Mulberry Varieties

White mulberry can act as a fodder, fruit and ornamental crop. They are represented by various varieties that differ in their individual properties.

So, among fruitful varieties, white honey mulberry is quite attractive. She is characterized by relative frost resistance and unpretentiousness, resistance to diseases. Tall deciduous tree has a wide crown. Simple oval leaves are light green. Inflorescences are spike-shaped. Juicy fruits have a white color.

Taste good. Long-term harvesting begins in late June. Uneven fruit ripening lasts until early August. Fresh berries are stored for no more than six hours. They practically do not tolerate transportation.

Mulberry white varieties Baroness is deciduous. Dense, well-leafy crown has a spherical shape. Flowers are dioecious. They have a light color and form a spike-shaped inflorescence. Large berries, the size of which is 3.5 cm and a diameter of 1.5 cm, are densely colored black. The aromatic complex drupe has a sweet, pleasant taste. Unlike the previous variety, the fruits are relatively transportable. Shelf life is twelve hours. The variety is high-yielding.

The berry harvesting period is in June-July. This mulberry is an unpretentious plant with high frost-resistant indicators. Mulberry winters wonderfully.

Mulberry Smuglyanka is a tall, sprawling tree that has a pyramidal crown. Large fruits reach three centimeters. Black berries are very juicy. Taste is excellent. A slightly acidic taste does not spoil the berries. This variety is less hardy than Baroness. In winter, twigs can freeze. Unpretentious plant has a high yield. Ripening occurs in early July.

Besides fruit speciesthere are more than four hundred decorative forms. Mulberry varieties differ in the shape and color of the crown and foliage. it spectacular plantswhich apply in landscape design. Trees and shrubs are wonderful, alleys and mulberries are included in its composition. Their openwork crown goes well with evergreens.

White weeping mulberry

A stunted tree or shrub reaches a height and a width of up to three meters. It has a very decorative appearance. Elongated mulberry branches hang down. This form is indispensable in landscape design and will be an adornment of any garden.

Dark green large leaves, the length of which can be from eight to twenty centimeters, are heart-shaped. In the autumn, they turn yellow. The flowering period falls on May-June. Fruits mulberry in few fruits. They are edible and have a pleasant sweet taste.

In addition, there are spherical, dissected, Tatar and golden forms of white mulberry. Each of them has its own advantages and is widely used for single or group landings.

Landing

Often, summer residents do not dare to plant mulberries, since small area space is limited. "Is my garden suitable for fashionable exotic?" - such a question arises among gardeners when choosing a particular sort of long-lived giant.

Mulberry cultivation provides several methods of plant formation, which will limit the height. Tall powerful sprawling tree requires larger area nutrition. Planting of mulberry is carried out according to the scheme 5 x 6 m. When limiting the height of the mulberry tree and growing as a bush, the scheme is different and is 2 x 3 m. White mulberry is unpretentious. It grows equally well in adverse urban conditions, and in suburban summer cottages. A well-lit area should be a corner of the garden where mulberry will grow. Planting and caring for mulberries comply with generally accepted rules for fruit trees. Seedlings are planted in early spring. The seating should be such as not to damage. For better rooting, a mixture of humus and sand is added to the hole. Abundantly watered and sprinkled with soil the landing hole. Around the trunk of the seedling, the soil is mulched with peat. In the autumn, planting is performed one and a half months before the onset of frost.

Agricultural technology

Leaving consists in removal of weeds, loosening of the soil and regular watering. It is especially important to monitor newly planted plants. Weeds that are harmful to plants are not allowed. Regular weeding and mulching with humus or peat will contribute to their normal and rapid growth. During summer season contribute organic and mineral fertilizers. This agricultural technique is very important for the normal development of mulberry and obtaining good harvests. Fertilizing is carried out during budding. Fifty grams of nitrophoska is needed per square meter. After fertilizing, the soil is intensely watered. In early July, watering is stopped. In this period, top dressing should also not be carried out. Enhanced nutrition will contribute to the growth of young shoots that will freeze in the winter.

Pruning

So that the tree does not grow tall and looks well-groomed, its crown is formed, limiting the growth to three meters. In addition, last year's young growths in the winter can freeze. They must be deleted. Mulberry pruning does not have individual features. They carry out sanitary and anti-aging receptions, which are carried out following the generally accepted recommendations for the mulberry tree and tolerates a haircut. This technique should be regular. Thinning of the crown is carried out annually. At the same time, diseased, damaged and weak branches are subject to removal. Crossing shoots are also cut.

Seed production

White mulberry ripens in the summer. Ripe fruits are suitable for seed production. After harvesting, some of the berries are left in the sun. They are slightly overripe. Then for several days they are placed in a container.

Juicy fruits should turn sour. Then they are ground in water. Full seeds fall to the bottom of the tank. This mass is wiped through a fine sieve. The resulting seeds are dried. They must be used throughout the year. They quickly lose their germination.

Seed propagation

Several methods are used to produce young plants. maybe seed propagation. Begin this method by stratification. Seeds are kept at a temperature of zero or five degrees for a month. Pre-cooked greenhouse. In early April, mulberry will be sown in it. Reproduction in this way allows you to have forty centimeter seedlings already in the autumn period.

Vaccinations on a frost-resistant stock

In order to preserve the maternal characteristics of a particular variety, vaccination will be more effective. This method is more complicated. It requires careful selection of material for reproduction. Quite often, winter mulberry vaccination is used. Young plants are used as stock hardy varieties Mulberries grown from seeds. They are dug up and stored in moist sawdust. Storage temperature should be zero degrees. The sculls are also stored in wet sawdust. After vaccination planting material placed in boxes and kept at a temperature of twenty-five degrees. After that, they are stored in wet sawdust at zero temperature until spring.

Mulberry grafting in spring period run on last year’s stock. This event falls on the period before the buds open. Used cuttings cut in the fall. They are stored throughout the winter period in wet sawdust at zero temperature.

You can vaccinate in the summer. To do this, use the blanks of the current year.

Propagation by green cuttings

Planting material is harvested in the second decade of June. Suitable green shoots, the length of which is at least fifteen centimeters. They are cut from non-lignified branches. Billets are processed by removing the lower leaves and shortening the upper half. Before rooting, the cuttings are incubated for six hours in aqueous solution heteroauxin.

Or they are placed in a mixture of sand and peat, which is moistened with this solution. Green cuttings root in a closed ground. The main condition is high humidity air. To create a greenhouse effect, cover with a plastic wrap.

Diseases and Pests

Like any culture, white mulberry is susceptible to infection. It can be affected by diseases such as bacteriosis, powdery mildew, and root rot.

In the spring, preventive spraying of the tree with special preparations is carried out.

A lot of pests in the mulberry tree. Crush, bear, mulberry barbel, wireworm and spider mite damage various parts of the plant. To combat them, mechanical and chemical methods. In the autumn period, the fallen leaves are always cleaned and burned.

Harvest Features

White mulberry is characterized by an extended fruiting period. Berries ripen unevenly. On the one hand, it’s good. A longer period the mulberry tree will delight ripe juicy fruits. However, ripened fruits should be removed in a timely manner. Almost all varieties of white mulberry are poorly stored. They are non-transportable. If the collection is delayed, the berries fall off, which leads to their spoilage. After removal, the fruits are immediately processed or consumed fresh.

Useful properties of white mulberry

The healing properties of the mulberry have been known for a long time. Eating fresh berries helps to improve the general condition of a person. White mulberry contributes to the normalization of work nervous system. It is included in diets for weight loss. Low-calorie berry perfectly normalizes metabolism. In addition, the plant cleanses the intestines and helps to eliminate toxins. Mulberries are most often consumed fresh. It is also cooked. It is suitable for future use. You can make juices, syrups, preserves and marmalades. Wines and tinctures have an exquisite taste. It is also dried. In this form, it is used instead of sugar. Irreplaceable white mulberry in cosmetology. It is included in various masks for hair, face and body.

However, for all its merits, one should not forget about individual features  organism. Like any medicine, the use of mulberry has contraindications. Excessive consumption can be harmful. Berries are not recommended for diabetics. For them, dried mulberry leaves will be more beneficial.

Black mulberry, or mulberry tree, is a deciduous long-lived tree that has been grown since ancient times. Probably comes from Iran, found in the wild in Asia Minor. Grows in the warm regions of Europe and North America, wild forms are often found in Spain and Italy, mainly on the edges and outskirts of forests. However, most often, mulberry was used as a decorative tree in parks and estates. An additional advantage of the mulberry tree was its delicious fruit. In Russia, black mulberry is very rare, cultivated only in the warm regions of our country. Often in our country, white mulberry is grown, the fruits of which, after ripening, can have a purple-black color - the same as black mulberry. For this reason, two trees are often confused. However, the fruits of black mulberry are tastier and not so sugary.

Description

Black mulberry is a tree with a dense, beautiful spherical crown, reaches a height of up to 15 m. The tree is covered with large, attractive, distinctive leaves. They are thick and leathery, heart-shaped, serrated at the edges, have a dark green color. Leaf blades are very hairy, unlike white mulberry, whose leaves are smooth and shiny. From May to June, flowers develop, male ones are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences, female ones are in earrings, from which fleshy fruits are formed. Fruits densely cover the branches, gradually ripening from mid-July to August. Dark red, black spherical fruits with a diameter of up to 3 cm. Mature fruits quickly fall off. Intense color of the juice stains the skin. Therefore, do not plant a tree near the sidewalks so that fallen fruits do not cause aesthetic dirt.

Growing

Black mulberry has similar requirements to white mulberry. There is tolerance towards the soil. Warm, well-drained sandy or clay soils are best suited. It does not tolerate heavy and boggy soils. The tree has a deep well-developed root system, due to which it can receive water and nutrients from the deep layers of the soil. This thermophilic species grows well in sunny places protected from the wind. Black mulberry is not as resistant to low temperatures as white, in cold regions, especially young shoots can freeze. Young trees before winter protect from frost. The tree tolerates air pollution, it is recommended as a decorative tree, it is used in urban green spaces. The tree grows quickly, over 10 years it can reach 8 m in height and up to 5 m in width, therefore it is an excellent plant for large gardens. It does not require pruning, although it is possible to form tall hedges out of it or to trim it in order to limit growth. This procedure should be carried out in the winter, when the plant is completely asleep, because mulberry secrete milky juice, which oozes plentifully from wounded tissues. Avoid heavy pruning. If necessary, remove branches that have dried up, as well as those that cross and overly thicken the crown. This plant is rarely affected by pests and diseases, does not require chemical protection and is suitable for growing ecological products.

Breeding

Mulberry propagated by woody cuttings. In early spring or autumn, take 30 cm of shoots so that they contain a 2-year-old wood base. All lateral shoots need to be removed, the seedlings must have at least 3 healthy buds, and then plant them 10 cm in the ground. You can place them right in the place where the tree will grow, but in our climate it is better to root them in warm room. Young trees can also be grown from seeds. However, they germinate best when they are subjected to 2-3-month stratification, that is, they lower the temperature and increase watering (winter dormancy). Potted plants can only be planted in the soil in late spring or early summer when the danger of the last frost is over. Plant a young tree in an open, sunny place, make fertilizing with organic fertilizer. Pay special attentionso as not to damage the fragile roots.

Properties and Application

The fruits of black mulberry should be eaten immediately after harvesting or processing, not suitable for long-term storage. The fruit is juicy and slightly tart, refreshing taste - ideal for desserts, jam, marmalade, juice and tinctures. In addition to taste, it also contains many important nutrients and vitamins, in particular vitamins A, C, B vitamins, flavonoids, coumarins and tannins. Mulberry also contains anthocyanins, which are natural dyes, so their juice can be used to color dairy products. In addition, these compounds have strong antioxidant properties.

Almost all parts of the plant have long been used in Chinese medicine. Berries stimulate the immune system, cleanse the body and have a diuretic effect. Fruit juice is useful in the treatment of heart and vascular diseases, in addition, it has hematopoietic and hemostatic properties, it is recommended for anemia. Leaf preparations, like white mulberry leaves, effectively lower blood sugar. Leaf extracts have antibacterial, astringent and diaphoretic effects. The bark has an antitussive, expectorant and diuretic, and infusions are used internally in the treatment of asthma, cough and inflammation of the bronchi.