Greece

The mulberry tree (especially Morus alba and Morus nigra) plays primarily a practical role in Greece: as a food tree (fruit) and as a supplier of leaves for silkworms, plus as a shade and ornamental tree in villages and gardens.

The leaves of the white mulberry are classic food for silkworms; thus, the tree is linked to centuries-old silk production in the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece.

The fruits are eaten fresh and processed into homemade jam, syrup, and candy, while simultaneously serving as a favorite food source for birds.

In villages and small towns, the mulberry often appears as a shade tree along squares or near water points; the name of the Cretan village of Mournies is even derived from “mouria”, Greek for mulberry tree.

Pascal Brackman