M Is For Mulberry

Morus alba L. (Photo credit: adaduitokla)

Morus nigra Deutsch: Weibliche blüten einer monözischen Art der Schwarze Maulbeere. English: Female flowers of a monoecious variety of the Black Mulberry. Français : Fleurs femelles d'une variété monoïque de Mûrier noir. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Morus nigra (II) (Photo credit: .Bambo.)

Have you ever been told that mulberries (Morus spp.) are poisonous? Well, guess what, that's just not true. Although the green parts of the plants and unripe berries contain a mild hallucinogen that shouldn't be consumed, the ripe berries are sweet and delicious.

Mulberries enjoy a long edible history and have popularly been used in pies, wines, cordials and jams. Mulberries are slowly coming back on the radar as they have been identified as a rich source of resveratrol, a compound believed to fight cancer, diabetes and the effects of aging.

It is now possible to buy extracts of mulberry leaves and fruits in many health food stores, however, I think it's more fun to grow your own.

The white mulberry (Morus alba) is the most cold-hardy, drought-and-pollution-tolerant. Unfortunately, the berries are somewhat blander than the sweet-tart red and black varieties, and there is some difficulty in knowing exactly when the berries are ripe.

Red mulberries (Morus rubra) are also drought tolerant, but they're only hardy to zone 5.

Black mulberries (Albus nigra) have the highest amount of resveratrol and anthocyanins (pigments with supposed medicinal value - they are also used as natural food coloring), but these can only grow in zones 7-9.

Mulberries are considered a "weed" tree in some places because they naturalize well and thrive with little care. Be sure to pick a deep soil in a sunny, well-drained site if you're planting mulberries and space the trees at least 15 feet apart.

The fruits can leave a mess on the ground if you just let them drop (or the birds that devour them may leave a mess of a different sort) so be sure to harvest the berries when they're ripe in late spring. The easiest way to do this is by putting a large white sheet under the tree and shaking the branches.

An alternative to growing your own mulberries is to wildcraft them. Mulberries are naturalized in many parts of the country (south of zone 5). The next time you're walking on public property, take a look around to see if you notice any mulberry plants that you can collect fruit from when ripe. 

Are you willing to give mulberries a try?

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Growing Goumi Berries

Gumi1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fruits de Goumi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Goumi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever heard of a goumi bush? No, I'm not making that name up - that is the common name for Eleagnus multiflora - another little-known berry that is a nutritional power house.

Goumi berries are a great source of vitamins A and E, and have the highest lycopene content of any food - even higher than the widely touted tomato.

These plants are originally from the far East, but if you live in the northeastern US, you may have seen goumi bushes without realizing it as the plants have naturalized over much of that region.

If you're in need of a lovely yet edible hedge row, consider giving goumi bushes a try. Goumi is a fast-growing bush, reaching heights of 10 feet (for southern cultivars) or 4-6 feet for cultivars hardy as far north as zone 4.

Goumi bushes are particularly useful interplanted with  other fruit bushes as goumi is a nitrogen-fixer.

That's right, instead of needing fertilizer, this bush fixes nitrogen in the soil, and any excess will be available to fertilize and potentially increase fruit production in nearby plants.

Plant goumi in most soils, provided that the site is well-drained and  receives an adequate amount of sunlight (half-day or more).

Goumi will tolerate drought and even harsh seaside habitats and pollution, making them an excellent edible bush for urban environments. Even better, they are also relatively free of problems from diseases or pests.

Goumi bushes produce lightly fragrant flowers in April or May, followed by juicy, bright red berries in early summer, during the gap-time between strawberries and blackberries.

The berries can be eaten fresh, provided they are fully ripe. Before ripening, the berries taste more sour than sweet., although they can be used in pies, jams and preserves at that point, particularly in any recipe calling for gooseberries.

Goumi berries can also be dried or even pickled - an incredibly unique flavor combining sweet, sour and salt. 

Expect up to 25 pounds of fruit from each goumi bush. They are self-fertile, meaning you don't have to plant them in pairs but can grow just one bush if you'd like. 

I've never seen goumi berries available commercially. At Rainbow's Acre we plan to grow at least two bushes, not only for health and variety but also so that the berry monsters can get their fix during that gap between strawberry harvest and blackberry/raspberry harvest.

So, are you ready to give growing goumi bushes a try?

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Currants In The Home Garden

Closeup of Black Currant (Ribes nigrum) berries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)I've decided to stick with berries for another day - in honor of my berry monsters. Today I'm going to share about a berry that we love to find growing in the wild - currants!

As hot and dry as the Dakota prairies can be during summer, the adjacent Black Hills are cool and surprisingly moist. Many of our family hikes take us along creeks in the Hills, which also happens to be the habitat in which currants grow best.

Currants are next to impossible to find fresh commercially, and for many years they were outlawed from home gardens due to their role in the spread of white pine blister rust. The ban on growing currants was lifted in 1966, but it's still pretty rare to find home gardeners cultivating this delicious berry.

Currant bushes are fairly tolerant in terms of cultivation, but they must have moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil or they won't thrive and certainly won't set fruit. They prefer full sun, but will tolerate some shade provided that they're not grown in a chilly depression of land.

Black currants, like other dark berries, are high in antioxidants and vitamin C. Red, white and even pink currant bushes are also available but these tend to be more decorative. Don't get me wrong, these bushes also produce healthy berries, but if you want the biggest health benefits, grow black currants.

In the past, currants enjoyed widespread use in jams, jellies, wines and cordials. Our family's favorite way to eat currants (other than right off the bush during a hike) is dried and added to warm or cold cereals. Dried currants can also be added to baked goods or boiled with apples and other berries for a delicious winter fruit compote.

We're not sure yet if we're going to try to grow currants at Rainbow's Acre. The property is pretty dry and lacking in moist places (unless we create some with swales) plus we are able to gather what our family needs from the wild. It may be something that we consider in the future though.

What about you? Are you interested in growing currant bushes?

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Aronia: The Superfood You May Not Know About

Aronia Berries (Photo credit: outdoorPDK)

One of the main goals of Rainbow’s Acre is to grow foods that are yummy enough to appeal to the kids and also provide our family with the greatest health benefits. 

Another goal is to grow fruits and vegetables from every color of the rainbow, in keeping with the recommendation by nutritionists that we eat foods in a variety of colors for optimal health.

This month, I’m participating in the A-Z Blogging Challenge. I’m going to spend April blogging about some of the plants we’re planning to grow at Rainbow’s Acre, from Aronia to Zucchini. 

Today’s post is about a superfood you’ve probably never heard of – aronia berries. Everyone who is eating blueberries for the health benefits take note – aronia berries score higher on many counts such as ORAC value and flavonoid content, making these fruits one of the best antioxidants on the planet.

Aronia berries contain more quinic acid (the compound that fights UTIs) than cranberries. This little pea-sized berry packs a punch, combining the best of blueberries, cranberries and blackberries in one fruit. 

So why aren’t aronia berries more popular? For those who are used to a high sugar diet, this deep purple fruit can taste somewhat tart. If tartness is an issue for you when eating the berries raw, try mixing them with sweeter fruits such as raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. 

Or try freezing – this process reduces tannins which in turn naturally sweetens the berries. And speaking of those natural tannins – it is just this property that makes aronia berries a popular additive in juices and wines, particularly grape and apple. The high tannin content improves the color and flavor of the resulting product.  

Aronia berries are small and easy to dry - just protect them from birds if you dry the fruits outdoors. The dried berries can be added to hot or cold cereal and enjoyed throughout the year. Or try adding the dried fruits to black or herbal teas. 

Aronia (Aronia melancarpa) is an easily grown, low-maintenance, fast growing bush that reaches about six feet in height. The bush tolerates a wide range of conditions and soils, and is very insect and disease resistant. Aronia is native to North America and can be grown in most temperate climates.

The bush produces dainty white flowers in May. Berries mature in the fall.

Each mature bush can produce between 36-38 pounds of fruit per year.  To put that into perspective, the average American only eats about eight pounds of berries (of all types) each year.

If you plan to add aronia berries to your diet, one bush might suffice for a family of five. At Rainbow’s Acre we’re going to plant three bushes for our family of five though as we’re all berry monsters. 

So, what do you think? Are you ready to give aronia berries a try?  

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