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Morus alba multicaulis
| Common name: |
White Mulberry |
Family: |
Moraceae |
| Author: |
(Perr.)Loudon. |
Botanical references: |
200, 266 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
E. Asia - China? |
| Habitat: |
Not known in a truly wild situation. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
4 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| M. alba[B,C,CAL,ENERGY,E,G,H,HPIC,HORTIPLEX,P]
M. alba f. tatarica[G]
M. alba var. constantinopolitana[G]
M. alba var. multicaulis[G]
M. alba var. tatarica[B,P]
M. constantinopolitana[H]
M. indica[G,H]
M. multicaulis[G]
M. tatarica[B,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Besaran [E], Chi Sang [E], Chin Sang [E], Chinese White Mulberry [H], Ching Sang [E], Dut Agaci [E], Hsun [E], I Sang [E], Kitaoe [E], Lampoeng [E], Lu Sang [E], Ma-Guwa [E], Mora [E], Morera [E], Mures [E], Nu Sang [E], Pai Sang [E], Sang [E], Sang Ken Pai P'I [E], Sang Pi [E], Sang Shen Chiu [E], Sang Shen Kao [E], Sang Shen Tzu [E], Shan Sang [E], Shen [E], T'An [E], Ti Sang [E], Tu [E], Tukki [E], Tut [E], Tuth [E], White Mulberry [P,B,H,DEN2], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
alba = white;
multicaulis = many stemmed;
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Urticales. Mulberry family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
China; Dominican Republic; Europe; Haiti; Iraq; Java; Kurdistan; Spain; Turkey; Us
|
Physical Characteristics
A decidious tree growing to 18m. It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant).
The plant is self-fertile.
We rate it 4/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Canopy, Secondary.Edible Uses
Fruit; Inner bark; Leaves.
Fruit - raw[2, 7, 158]. Sweet but usually insipid[3, 11]. It contains
about 1.5% protein, 0.4% fat, 7.8% carbohydrate, 0.7% malic acid[179]. A
richer flavour develops if the fruit is dried, it can then be used as a
raisin substitute. The fruit is up to 25mm long[200]. Some caution is
advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Young leaves and shoots - cooked[105, 183]. A famine food, it is only used
when all else fails[177]. A good vegetable, it is rich in carotene and
calcium[179]. The leaf also contains 10% tannin[179].
Inner bark - roasted and ground into a meal then used as a thickener in
soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread. A famine food when all
else fails[179].
The tree is said to be a source of an edible manna[183].
Young shoots can be used as a tea substitute[183].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Analgesic; Antiasthmatic; Antirheumatic; Antitussive; Astringent; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emollient; Expectorant; Hypoglycaemic; Hypotensive; Odontalgic; Sedative.
The white mulberry has a long history of medicinal use in Chinese
medicine, almost all parts of the plant are used in one way or another[238].
Recent research has shown improvements in elephantiasis when treated with
leaf extract injections and in tetanus following oral doses of the sap mixed
with sugar[238].
Analgesic, emollient, sedative[7, 176].
The leaves are antibacterial, astringent, diaphoretic, hypoglycaemic,
odontalgic and ophthalmic[218, 238]. They are taken internally in the
treatment of colds, influenza, eye infections and nosebleeds[238]. The leaves
are collected after the first frosts of autumn and can be used fresh but are
generally dried[238].
The stems are antirheumatic, diuretic, hypotensive and pectoral[218, 238]. A
tincture of the bark is used to relieve toothache[7]. The branches are
harvested in late spring or early summer and are dried for later use[238].
The fruit has a tonic effect on kidney energy[218, 238]. It is used in the
treatment of urinary incontinence, tinnitus, premature greying of the hair
and constipation in the elderly[238].
The root bark is antitussive, diuretic, expectorant and hypotensive[238]. It
is used internally in the treatment of asthma, coughs, bronchitis, oedema,
hypertension and diabetes[238]. The roots are harvested in the winter and
dried for later use[238].
Extracts of the plant have antibacterial and fungicidal activity[218].
Other Uses
Dye; Fibre; Wood.
A fibre is obtained from the bark of one-year old stems, it is used in
weaving[7, 74].
A brown dye is obtained from the trunk[178].
The leaves contain 10% tannin[179].
Wood - hard, durable, fine and close-grained. Used for boat building,
furniture etc[145, 149, 158].
Cultivation details
Prefers a warm well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[1, 11].
This variety of M. alba is said to have superior fruits[105]. According to
many botanists it is no more than a clone of the species[200]. This is the
form most commonly cultivated in India, where it is fast growing and adapted
to field culture. It gives a high yield of large, tender, thick leaves[269].
Mulberries have brittle roots and so need to be handled with care when
planting them out[238].
Any pruning should only be carried out in the winter when the plant is fully
dormant because mulberries bleed badly when cut[238]. Ideally prune only
badly placed branches and dead wood[238].
A good tree for growing grapes into[20]. The grapes are difficult to pick
but always seem to be healthier and free from fungal diseases[201].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Propagation
The seed germinates best if given 2 - 3 months cold stratification[80,
98]. Sow the seed as soon as it is ripe if possible, otherwise in February in
a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in the first spring, though it
sometimes takes another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual
pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame
for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer after
the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame.
Plant out in spring. A good percentage take, though they sometimes fail to
thrive[78, 113].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 25 - 30cm with a
heel of 2 year old wood, autumn or early spring in a cold frame or a shady
bed outside[78, 113, 200]. Bury the cuttings to threequarters of their depth.
Layering in autumn[200].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
References for Morus alba (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HEC] Use, Folk Medicine, etc. from Handbook of Energy Crops by James Duke
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
- [DEN] Data _ Photos
(Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
References for morus alba (a possible synonym).
References for the family Moraceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[3] Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7
A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.
[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs.
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
[145] Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976
A good flora of the western Himalayas but poorly illustrated. Some information on plant uses.
[149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.
[158] Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945
A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.
[269] Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of plants.
Readers Comments
Main Search Page
Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Morus+alba+multicaulis
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