{"id":528,"date":"2025-08-01T07:43:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T07:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/?post_type=product&p=528"},"modified":"2025-08-04T11:14:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T11:14:33","slug":"black-mulberry","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/product\/black-mulberry\/","title":{"rendered":"Black mulberry"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Botanical Name: <\/strong>Morus nigra<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to Grow It<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Black mulberry (Morus nigra<\/i>) is a deciduous tree<\/b> that can grow 6\u20139\u202fm tall with a wide, spreading canopy. In late Winter, it produces plain-looking flowers that quietly transform into glossy black-purple berries by spring.<\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s native to southwestern Asia<\/b>, but has been grown for centuries across Europe, the Middle East, and temperate parts of the world<\/b>. It thrives in temperate and subtropical climates<\/b>, enjoying warm summers but tolerating frosts once established.<\/p>\r\n

Plant it in full sun<\/b> and give it rich, well-drained soil<\/b> \u2013 although it will cope with poorer soils if needed. Water regularly for the first few years, then it becomes drought-hardy<\/b>, producing fruit even in drier conditions. Best to plant in winter<\/b> as a bare-root tree, or in early spring<\/b> if potted. It\u2019s usually propagated by cuttings<\/b> or grafted stock<\/b> (growing from seed is slow and unreliable).

<\/p>\r\n

Herbal & Nutrient Value<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Black mulberries are nutrient powerhouses<\/b>. A handful (about 100\u202fg) gives you around 85% of your daily vitamin C<\/b>, along with vitamin K, iron, and a mix of beneficial plant compounds. They\u2019re especially high in anthocyanins<\/b> \u2013 the pigments that make the berries so dark \u2013 which are strong antioxidants linked to heart and brain health.<\/p>\r\n

In herbal traditions, mulberry leaves have been used as a mild hypoglycemic<\/b> (to support blood sugar balance) and to soothe coughs. The berries are thought to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gentle laxative effects<\/b> \u2013 and modern studies back up their antioxidant power.<\/p>\r\n

Traditional & Home Remedies<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Mulberry syrup<\/strong>: Cooked fruit used as a sore throat soother<\/strong> and mild laxative<\/strong>.
Mulberry leaf tea<\/strong>: Traditionally used for cooling fevers<\/strong> and blood sugar balance<\/strong>.
Poultice of crushed leaves<\/strong>: Used historically for skin irritations<\/strong>.

<\/p>\r\n

Using It in the Kitchen<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Mulberries are soft, juicy, and almost too easy to eat straight off the tree \u2013 you\u2019ll stain your fingers purple but it\u2019s worth it. They\u2019re also brilliant cooked, turning into a deep, syrupy sweetness in pies, jams, and sauces.<\/p>\r\n

Use them fresh on cereal, in smoothies, or baked into cakes. Freeze extras for later \u2013 they hold up well. Just wash them gently (they\u2019re fragile) and store in the fridge for only a couple of days before they soften.<\/p>\r\n

Simple Recipe ideas:<\/b>
– Mulberry Jam<\/b> \u2013 simmer mulberries with sugar and lemon until thick, then jar it.
– Mulberry Pie<\/b> \u2013 fill a pastry case with mulberries, sugar, and a little flour; bake until bubbling.
– Mulberry Syrup<\/b> \u2013 cook berries with sugar and strain for a rich purple syrup.
– Mulberry Smoothie<\/b> \u2013 blend frozen mulberries with yogurt, banana, and greens.
– Mulberry Pancake Topping<\/b> \u2013 warm berries with a little water and sugar; spoon over pancakes.

<\/p>\r\n

Other Uses<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Mulberry trees are generous in more ways than one. Their leaves feed silkworms<\/b>, their wood is used for furniture and tools<\/b>, and the tree provides welcome summer shade<\/b> in hot climates.

<\/p>\r\n

Why it’s a survival plant:<\/h3>\r\n

They\u2019re long-lived<\/b>, drought-tolerant once established<\/b>, and produce huge harvests of nutrient-rich fruit<\/b> every year with very little effort. A single tree can keep a family in berries for decades \u2013 making it one of the ultimate \u201cplant it and forget it\u201d survival foods.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The black mulberry tree is one of those old-world fruit trees that feels like a treasure in any garden. Sweet, rich berries drop into your hands every spring, and the tree itself is tough, long-lived, and perfect for a survival garden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[39,40],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-528","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-drought-resistant-plants","7":"product_cat-high-nutrition-plants","9":"first","10":"instock","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"product-type-simple"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=528"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=528"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=528"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}