DAY 136 (19 AUGUST) – Black mulberry (Morus nigra) (Farnham)
Yes, I know they aren’t black. But I think that’s because they aren’t ripe yet.
I didn’t want to linger long with these. They don’t have the charm of blackberries (more in a later post). And, although apparently edible, I wonder if they don’t make the supermarket shelves because they appear a bit deformed?
They were also difficult to photograph, as they seem to prefer to hide and curl bulbously under the large flappy leaves.
What’s worse, discovering them has spoilt the nursery rhyme for me. And they aren’t even bushes – more big spreading trees.
Black mulberry fact: imported to Britain in the 17th century to encourage the cultivation of silk worms. But the plan failed because silk worms apparently preferred the while mulberry. Hmmm.
365 DAYS OF NATURE 