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Morus nigra

Authority L. Family Magnoliopsida:Dilleniidae:Urticales:Moraceae Synonyms Common names amoreira preta, black mulberry, gelso, maulbeerbaum, mora negra, murier noir Editor Ecocrop code 2349

Notes
DESCRIPTION: It is a deciduous tree, slender but with numerous branches reaching 6-10 m in height, but it tends to be a bush if not trained when young. It has a spreading crown and tends to be picturesque when old. Leaves rough on upper surfaces and pubescent underneath, 7-12.5 cm long. Fruit a syncarp, oblongoid, 2-2.5 cm long, dark purple to black. USE: The fruit is eaten raw or prepared into juice, wine, jam, etc. or as an ingredient in bread and cough syrup. The tree produces the best-flavoured fruits of the genus. The leaves are fed to silkworms and rabbits and are browsed by cattle and goats, they also yields a dye. The wood is used as fuel and timber. All parts of the plant have medicinal properties. The tree is planted for shade, shelter, as a windbreak, as an ornamental and living fence. GROWING PERIOD: Slow-growing perennial. May come into bearing after 1-2 years and has a economical life of 10-15 years. COMMON NAMES: Black mulberry, Murier noire, Murbei, Besaran, Kitan, Moon, Dau tam. FURTHER INF: It is originally a subtropical fruit tree originated in Iran or China and Japan and is only suited to the higher elevations above 1000 m in the tropics. In England it is grown down to sea level. It is highly favoured in areas with long hot summers or extended droughts. A rugged species, it is fairly resistant to cold but grows best at lower altitudes when sheltered from wind and in coastal areas.
Sources
SOURCES (M. nigra L.) (27.06.02) E2349 Hackett 1982 pp 137 [PHO, DEP, PH, TEXT, TEMP] Duke J 1975 pp 21 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Roecklein J 1987 pp 202 [USE, TEXT] Sims D (pers. comm.) Purseglove J 1974 pp 378 [TEMP] Rice R 1990 pp 133-134 [USE, TEMP] Verheij E 1991 pp 348 [USE] ICRAF Agroforestree Database