Plant Guide - White Mulberry Morus Alba L. - U.s. Department Of Agriculture printable pdf download

Plant Guide

Medicinal: The leaves are taken internally in the

WHITE MULBERRY

treatment of sore throats, colds, eye infections, and

nose bleeds. The stems are used in the treatment of

Morus alba L.

spasms, rheumatic pains, and high blood pressure.

Plant Symbol = MOAL

The fruit is used in the treatment of urinary

incontinence, dizziness, diabetes, pre-maturing gray

Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data

hair, and constipation in the elderly.

Center

Wildlife: White mulberry leaves are eaten as a

vegetable and are useful as a cattle fodder. Wild

birds, hogs, and poultry eat the mulberry fruit.

Agroforestry: Morus alba is used in tree strips for

windbreaks. They are planted and managed to

protect livestock, enhance production, and control

soil erosion. Windbreaks can help communities with

harsh winter conditions better handle the impact of

winter storms and reduce home heating costs during

the winter months.

Status

Department of Botany

Introduced into the U.S. and it is considered invasive

University of Wisconsin, Madison

by several sources. Please consult the Plants Web

site and your State Department of Natural Resources

Alternative Names

for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious

Chinese white mulberry, common mulberry, Russian

status and wetland indicator values.

mulberry, silkworm mulberry, chi sang, chin sang,

moral blanco

Weediness

This plant may become weedy or invasive in some

Uses

regions or habitats and may displace desirable

Ethnobotanic: The fruits may be eaten cooked or raw

vegetation if not properly managed. Please consult

and are made into jellies, jams, pies and is added to

with your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative

bread, cookies, or puddings. The fruit is also an

Extension Service office, state natural resource, or

ingredient in mulberry wine and is used as a raisin

state agriculture department regarding its status and

substitute. The inner bark was roasted and grounded

use. Weed information is also available from the

into a meal and then used as a thickener in soups or

PLANTS Web site at plants.usda.gov. Please consult

mixed with cereals when making bread. The young

the Related Web Sites on the Plant Profile for this

shoots were used as a tea substitute

species for further information.

Economic: White mulberry was introduced along the

Description

Atlantic seaboard during colonial times when an

General: Mulberry family (Moreaceae). White

attempt was made to establish the silkworm industry

mulberry is an introduced, small to medium sized

in this country (Harrar & Harrar 1962). A fiber was

shrub or tree. The leaves are alternate, simple,

obtained from the bark and used in weaving. A

serrate or dentate, ovate to broad ovate, and two to

brown dye can be obtained from the trunk.

seven inches long (Dirr 1990). The flowers are

small, greenish, crowded in clusters, and hanging in

The wood is valued for sporting goods due to its

catkins. The fruit is blackberry like, typically white

durability, flexibility, and elasticity. It is used mainly

but sometimes pinkish violet, insipid and so plentiful

for tennis and badminton rackets, hockey sticks,

it litters lawns and pavements (Taylor 1965). The

furniture, agricultural implements, and house and

bark is light brown to gray and smooth, becoming

boat building materials. The stem is fibrous and is

divided into narrow scaly ridges.

used in Europe and China for making paper.

Plant Materials <

Plant Fact Sheet/Guide Coordination Page <

National Plant Data Center <

Plant Guide - White Mulberry Morus Alba L. - U.s. Department Of Agriculture

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