Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is is a small deciduous tree cultivated worldwide, mainly for its edible fruits. Its leaves, like those of the white mulberry (Morus alba L.) can be used to feed silkworms but the silk is of lesser quality. The leaves are used as cattle fodder (Alonzo, 1999; Göhl, 1982).
Morphology
Black mulberry is a dark green coloured deciduous shrub, medium-sized tree, growing up to 6-9 (-15-35) m in height which has a broad, dense spreading crown. The trunk is short. The leaves are petiolate, leathery (scabrous on the upper face and pubescent on the lower), large (5-16 x 5-16 cm), variable in shape: whole or palmately lobate. The leaf blades are assymetrical, broadly ovate, deeply cordiform at the base and shortly acuminate on top, obtusely dentate along the edge. Flowers are small, unattractive, clustered in catkin-like inflorescences. Fruits are 1.5-2.5cm in length and 3 cm in diameter, black, glossy, sweetish sour, juicy, and very tasty (Chukhina, 2015; Alonzo, 1999; Burkill, 1985).
Compared to the white mulberry, the black mulberry tree is shorter, with a smaller and more regular crown. Its shoots and branches have a bright yellow colour. The fruits of Morus nigra ripen earlier and are smaller, juicier, and tastier than those of Morus alba (Turskienè, 2013).
Uses
Black mulberry is mainly cultivated for its edible fruits that are edible and are the best-flavoured of those produced by Morus species. The purple-black berries are large and juicy, with a good balance of sweetness and tartness. The ripe fruit contains about 9% sugar, with malic and citric acid. Berries can be eaten raw or dried, or used in pies, tarts, puddings, conserves, jams, or sweetened and pureed as a sauce; slightly unripe fruit is best for pies and tarts. The fruit is sometimes pounded to a fine powder and mixed with the flour for bread. They can be blended with other fruits like pears and apples (Orwa et al., 2009). Leaves are used as feed for silkworms, but result in coarser silk than those obtained with worms fed white mulberry. Rather, they are used to feed rabbits and cattle and small ruminants are known to browse on black mulberry (Orwa et al., 2009). The wood of black mulberry is very hard and good for woodcraft. The bark is used to produce cardboard, paper and rope (Chukhina, 2015). Black mulberry is reported to have several medicinal properties (Alonzo, 1999).