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Mulberry
Morus alba
The white mulberry is another “false fruit”: what is commonly called a “berry” is actually a cluster of small fruits that together form a multiple fruit known as a sorosis. In the past, the juice of both ripe and unripe fruits was boiled to produce a kind of honey. The case of the mulberry is quite unique, as it is one of the few plants cultivated for its leaves rather than its fruit; the leaves were used to feed silkworms.
INSIGHT
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the mulberry was among the most widespread trees in Italy, as it was used in silkworm farming. Today, however, it is quite rare to come across this plant, and even more so its fruits. In the past, the juice extracted from mulberries was used as a mouthwash; in fact, soroses are believed to be particularly effective for inflammation of the mouth and throat.
Nowadays, with the internet and supermarkets providing all kinds of products even out of season, there are very few fruits we are unfamiliar with. The mulberry is often one of them, but here is some good news: at the primary school in Cernobbio, right near the Villa, you can still find a mulberry tree. If you have never seen Morus alba, now you know where to find it!