Page 131 - The Lost Ways

Mulberry (Morus alba, Morus rubra)

Tree; harvest spring through summer

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Red mulberries are native to the Eastern U.S., but white mulberries were also
introduced and have gone wild all over the country.

In the spring, you can harvest the leaf shoots and young leaves then boil them for 20
minutes. Drain and serve with butter. Fruits ripen May through July. These are easy to
harvest by simply shaking the tree to see what falls out. Fully ripened berries are very
sweet and syrupy. These are great raw, or they can be juiced, dried, made into jam, or

baked into a delicious treat. Be careful when harvesting mulberries however. The raw
leaves and unripe fruits cause hallucinations and stomach upset. They stimulate the
nervous system in a way that is not pleasant. Be sure that the berries you harvest are fully
ripe and ready to eat.

25 "Red Mulberry" by: Melissa McMasters, (CC BY 2.0)

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