I have a nice mulberry tree in the woods by my driveway. Today I noticed that it is just about time to make a mulberry pie. They taste like blackberries. However, when picked the little stem usually stays with the berry. Also, the size of the fruit around the seed is smaller than blackberry, so there are a lot more seeds in a pie. The fruits are first white, then red, then turn black when ripe.
Moraceae aka Mulberry family of trees. A few members – Figs, Mulberries, Osage Orange.
There are two species common in the south.
Morus rubra - red mulberry is native to north america, more common in the southeast.
Morus alba - white mulberry is introduced from China
The flowers present on Mulberry trees are unisexual. A given mulberry tree may be monoecious (male and female flowers on the same tree) or dioecious (trees produce either male or female flowers but not both). Around here I find male and female trees, have yet to see one that is unisex.
The fruits of Red Mulberry trees are edible. The ripe fruits are dark red to black in color and are botanically described as a multiple fruit composed of numerous drupes; the fruit is the product of numerous flowers, each of which produces a drupe. The fruits have some resemblance to blackberries but blackberry fruits are aggregate fruits composed of drupes; that is, the fruit is the product of a single flower having numerous pistils. The fruits of mulberry trees are quite delicious, both raw and in pies. One can find recipes for a mulberry pie online. A few sites are listed below:
The fruits of White Mulberry are also edible and used in Chinese medicine. I know nothing about the medicinal properties.
Mulberry has another use common in rural parts of the south. They make great fence posts, naturally rot resistant. Since I was a kid I've seen them used here on the farm many times.
Moraceae aka Mulberry family of trees. A few members – Figs, Mulberries, Osage Orange.
There are two species common in the south.
Morus rubra - red mulberry is native to north america, more common in the southeast.
Morus alba - white mulberry is introduced from China
The flowers present on Mulberry trees are unisexual. A given mulberry tree may be monoecious (male and female flowers on the same tree) or dioecious (trees produce either male or female flowers but not both). Around here I find male and female trees, have yet to see one that is unisex.
The fruits of Red Mulberry trees are edible. The ripe fruits are dark red to black in color and are botanically described as a multiple fruit composed of numerous drupes; the fruit is the product of numerous flowers, each of which produces a drupe. The fruits have some resemblance to blackberries but blackberry fruits are aggregate fruits composed of drupes; that is, the fruit is the product of a single flower having numerous pistils. The fruits of mulberry trees are quite delicious, both raw and in pies. One can find recipes for a mulberry pie online. A few sites are listed below:
The fruits of White Mulberry are also edible and used in Chinese medicine. I know nothing about the medicinal properties.
Mulberry has another use common in rural parts of the south. They make great fence posts, naturally rot resistant. Since I was a kid I've seen them used here on the farm many times.