In addition to the interesting leaves that were originally used for breeding silkworms, it is mainly the mulberries that make this tree a regular in German gardens permit. Both the black and white mulberries are edible and have many uses.
The white and black mulberry trees (Morus alba, morus nigra) are among the deciduous Deciduous trees, that is, they shed their leaves in autumn. The flowers are yellow and resemble Pussy willow. In autumn, the trees develop white or dark red to black berries, depending on the variety. These berries can be harvested in summer, in July and August.
The right location for mulberries
Both the black and the white mulberry tree are robust garden plants. They can be planted outdoors or cultivated in a pot or container. The mulberry is hardy, so with appropriate cover it can remain in the garden in winter. However, it is also possible to spend the winter in the house.
The ideal location for black and white mulberry trees in summer is partially shaded to sunny. Since the mulberry is very robust, the plant can be exposed to wind, so it does not have to stand in a sheltered corner. The tree is very suitable for planting alone, as the mulberry is a very
The mulberry can remain in the garden in winter, it is hardy to around -15 ° C. Potted plants can overwinter in the apartment, wintering in the basement is not necessary. The temperature for the location in the apartment should be around 5 ° C, but a cooler winter location is possible.
The care of mulberry trees
The robust mulberry trees hardly need any maintenance. A regular cut is not necessary. However, you can cut the branches or wild shoots every year. This pruning is done in March to prevent the tree from getting too tall. The growth of the shoots can also be controlled by an annual cut. The robustness of the tree also ensures that a cut does not have any negative effects on the development of fruits.
Anyone who cultivates the black and white mulberry tree as a pot plant or puts the tree on the terrace as a container plant will have to repot regularly. The floor or the soil in which the mulberry tree thrives best should be rich in humus and very well drained. The addition of gravel in the pot or bucket is suitable for this purpose, which enables appropriate drainage.
In summer, mulberry trees kept in pots must be watered regularly and very abundantly, as this plant consumes a lot of water. Especially in the hot time of the
In winter it is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out completely. The mulberry tree sheds its leaves in autumn outdoors as well as indoors when it is not hibernating, so the need for water is severely restricted. The watering should therefore be low but uniform for indoor plants. However, it is important to observe the mulberry tree very carefully when it is wintering in the house. When the first buds form in spring, the water consumption increases again very sharply. Then you have to react immediately with stronger watering. One fertilization is not necessary during winter, this only starts again from March when the need for nutrients increases.
Cutting and propagating
The mulberry tree is one of the so-called wild trees. A distinction is made between the black mulberry tree (Morus nigra) and the white mulberry tree (Morus alba). There is also a red mulberry tree (Morus rubra) from North America. The distinguishing feature is the color of the "berry-like" fruits.From a botanical point of view, they belong to the nut fruits. Another form or Variant is the sycamore-leaved mulberry tree (Morus alba 'Macrophylla'). The white mulberry tree has been cultivated to raise silkworms for thousands of years. The first trees are already around 400 BC. Chr. came to Greece from the Middle East. From there they were spread across Italy to Central and Northern Europe. In Germany they were planted because of their reliable fruit formation. The black mulberries in particular have an aromatic, sweet taste. They can all be processed into dried fruits, juices, jellies, wine and compotes and much more.
Short profile
The deciduous tree loves warmth, can reach a height of up to 15 meters and is characterized by a bizarre, gnarled growth habit. That is why it is often planted in an exposed place, such as in public places or as a house tree. Because its heart-shaped leaves provide shade. The mulberry tree blooms around May. Its blackberry-shaped fruits - a real delicacy - can be harvested from the beginning of August to the end of September.
Mulberry tree care
A fully sunny to semi-shady place with a permeable, fertile - often calcareous - soil is suitable as a planting location. The mulberry tree is quite easy to care for. It even tolerates drought, heat, barren soils and inner-city climates very well. Mulberry trees that need to thrive in pots, as long as they are in full leafy condition, are watered often and abundantly. The bottom of the pot should like to be well moistened. Mulberry trees planted in the garden should be watered vigorously once or twice a week in the summer heat. Due to its high nutritional requirements, the mulberry tree should also be well fertilized. It is easiest to use slow release fertilizers in spring and early summer. A supply of compost or organic long-term fertilizer is also possible in March and June.
Cut the mulberry tree
A pruning of this wild wood is not absolutely necessary, but it can be done in March. This allows the size of the crown and its branching to be controlled. Such corrective cuts are made especially in the youth phase of the tree. As far as the fruit wood is concerned, you can't really go wrong, because mulberries grow fruit on both young and old wood. The mulberry tree naturally develops into a tree-like shrub. Therefore, a shoot should be selected for stem formation. This is then supported by targeted cutting. If you want to keep your mulberry tree small, you should shorten the first fresh shoots by several centimeters in March or April.
Mulberry tree propagation
The mulberry tree can be propagated in winter by cuttings. The mulberry tree cuttings are cut from large, healthy branches of the tree. In bonsai culture, the mulberry tree is also propagated using seeds and mosses. You can buy a mulberry tree in well-stocked nurseries.