Exploring the Diverse Uses of Mulberry By-products

When we think about mulberry cultivation, the first thing that comes to mind is silkworm rearing – the leaves feed the worms, the worms spin cocoons, and cocoons become silk. But that is only part of the story. A 2025 review published in the International Journal of Research in Agronomy points out that mulberry cultivation generates a substantial volume of plant residues – pruned branches, stems, roots, unfit leaves, and fallen fruits – all of which hold significant commercial and ecological value. In fact, every part of the mulberry plant, from leaf to root, has a use well beyond feeding silkworms.

The mulberry plant: more than a silkworm feed source 🔗

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is one of the most versatile plants in tropical and subtropical agriculture. A review published in Current Research in Food Science describes it as a unique plant with broad geographical distribution, cultivated across continents, with multiple documented uses for its leaf foliage, wood, bark, and roots, as well as a positive role in environmental safety – from preventing soil erosion to sequestering carbon. Yet in many sericulture-focused farms, the non-leaf biomass is still treated as agricultural waste. Recognising and utilising these by-products not only adds income for farmers but also supports a more sustainable, zero-waste model of production.

Uses of mulberry leaves beyond silkworm rearing 🔗

The leaf is, of course, the centrepiece of mulberry cultivation. It takes approximately one tonne of mulberry leaves to rear enough silkworms to produce 25-30 kg of high-quality cocoons. But leaves that are too mature, damaged, or surplus to silkworm rearing requirements do not go to waste – they have well-established applications in livestock nutrition and human health.

Mulberry leaves as livestock feed 🔗

According to ScienceDirect’s overview on mulberry leaves, mulberry leaves are a well-regarded cattle feed, known to boost milk yield in dairy animals. Research cited in the same source shows that mulberry is nutritionally superior to many common tropical forages – performing 80-100% better than grass and 40-50% better than tropical legumes for small ruminants. Studies have also shown that feeding mulberry leaf powder to sheep improves rumen ecology, nutrient digestibility, and even the quality of meat in terms of fatty acid composition. For poultry, including up to 9% mulberry leaf flour in feed has been found to maintain egg size while improving yolk color and increasing vitamin K and beta-carotene content.

A comprehensive review in PMC (National Institutes of Health) also confirms that mulberry leaves are a rich source of protein, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and alkaloids – compounds that confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in animals. This positions mulberry leaf not just as a feed ingredient, but as a functional feed additive that can improve animal health outcomes.

Medicinal and nutraceutical value of mulberry leaves 🔗

In human health, mulberry leaves have a long history in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. A review published in Food Quality and Safety (Oxford Academic / NCBI) highlights that various parts of the mulberry tree, including the leaves, have been traditionally used for the treatment of fever, cough, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and elevated blood sugar. Modern research supports many of these uses. The leaves contain bioactive compounds – particularly deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), an alkaloid that inhibits enzymes responsible for carbohydrate breakdown – which has attracted significant attention for managing type 2 diabetes.

Mulberry leaf tea is a commercially popular product in several Asian countries, consumed for its earthy flavour and reported metabolic benefits. Industry data indicates that the mulberry leaf extract market was valued at $1.2 billion in 2024, a figure that reflects the rapid growth of interest in functional plant-based health products. Leaves can also be processed into powder and used as a dietary supplement or added to food formulations.

The medicinal properties of mulberry roots and bark 🔗

While leaves attract most of the attention, the roots and root bark of the mulberry tree are equally valuable, particularly in traditional medicine systems.

Root bark in herbal medicine 🔗

According to Drugs.com’s monograph on white mulberry, use of mulberry in Chinese medicine dates back to at least AD 659. The root bark has recorded cathartic and anthelmintic (anti-worm) properties and is used in traditional preparations to treat digestive conditions. The stem bark similarly has purgative and vermifuge properties, while leaf juice has been applied to prevent throat infections.

A peer-reviewed study published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies confirmed that mulberry root bark (Morus alba L.) has been used in herbal medicine as an anti-inflammatory, liver-protective, kidney-protective, hypotensive, diuretic, anti-cough, and analgesic agent. The same study found that mulberry root bark extract showed both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity in laboratory conditions, specifically inhibiting the growth of colorectal cancer cells – an area of ongoing research interest.

A 2023 review in the Journal of Functional Foods further establishes that all four medicinal parts of the mulberry plant – leaves, twigs, root bark, and fruit – have documented hypoglycemic (blood sugar-lowering) effects, driven primarily by flavonoids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and stilbenes.

Mulberry wood: a highly valued timber resource 🔗

After a mulberry plantation reaches the end of its productive life, or when trees are pruned back heavily, the resulting wood is far from a throwaway material. Mulberry wood is classified as a hardwood and is prized for a combination of properties that few domestic timber species can match simultaneously.

Physical properties and durability 🔗

The Wood Database rates mulberry as very durable, with strong resistance to decay, insects, and weathering – a combination that makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. The heartwood has a distinctive golden colour that deepens to a warm reddish-brown with age, giving finished products an attractive, rich appearance. The wood dries easily, seldom warps due to its straight grain, and machines well with both hand and power tools.

According to a detailed species guide at GlamorWood, mulberry has a Janka hardness rating of 1,680 lbf, giving furniture components a solid, durable feel. Its natural rot-resistant extractives make it perform well even in outdoor settings – used in garden seating, fence posts, trellises, and small boat components such as coamings and tillers.

Furniture making and traditional craftsmanship 🔗

Mulberry wood has a centuries-old legacy in furniture and fine craftsmanship, particularly in East Asia. Historical records show that Japanese and Chinese craftspeople have used mulberry wood for dressing tables, tea chests, mirror frames, and sewing boxes for generations. In Japan, the ancient Shumakuwa variety of mulberry is especially prized for tea ceremony rooms and cabinetry. Today, mulberry wood continues to be used for premium furniture, interior trim work, custom cabinetry, turned bowls, decorative items, and even flooring – its warm coloration and straight grain lending itself to both traditional and modern design aesthetics.

Construction materials and paper production 🔗

Beyond furniture, mulberry wood has practical uses in construction and paper manufacturing. ProAgri Media’s coverage of mulberry cultivation notes that the bark has long been used in paper pulp production, and that mulberry sticks are used in fencing and woven into baskets and silkworm rearing trays. In Korea and parts of Central Asia, mulberry bark paper – known as hanji or similar traditional paper – has been produced for centuries and is still valued for its strength and longevity.

A 2025 research paper published in the Journal of Experimental Agriculture International explored the use of mulberry wood pruning waste in particleboard manufacturing. The resulting boards showed thermal conductivity values similar to cork panels, outperformed commercial wood and plywood panels as sound absorbers at low frequencies, and met the minimum mechanical requirements for general-use boards and furniture – a promising finding for the construction sector.

Mulberry fruits: food, beverages, and beyond 🔗

The fruits of the mulberry tree – produced as a natural by-product of maintaining the plantation – are themselves commercially valuable. Ripe mulberries are eaten fresh and processed into jams, jellies, juices, wines, and preserves. ProAgri Media notes that fruits can also be fed to pigs, and leftover leaves are routinely fed to cattle to support milk production. The fruit’s antioxidant content – driven by anthocyanins, polyphenols, and vitamin C – has made it a popular ingredient in nutraceutical and functional food markets globally.

Mulberry prunings and shoots as organic inputs 🔗

Pruned branches, shoots, and plant residues from mulberry fields are not without value either. The 2025 sericulture by-products review highlights that these residues can be converted into compost, vermicompost, biofertilisers, and soil conditioners – feeding back into the productivity of the mulberry field itself. Pruning waste is also being studied for bioenergy applications, where it can contribute to biomass-based fuel generation. The FAO’s documented model of mulberry-sericulture-fish farming integration in China’s Taihu basin further shows how mulberry residues can anchor circular agricultural systems, with organic matter from the plantation fertilising fish ponds and improving overall farm productivity.

Environmental contributions of mulberry cultivation 🔗

One of the often-overlooked by-products of mulberry cultivation is its environmental service. Research on Morus spp. confirms that mulberry plays an active role in ecorestoration of degraded lands, bioremediation of polluted sites, water conservation, prevention of soil erosion, and improvement of air quality through carbon sequestration. Mulberry’s deep root systems stabilise slopes and retain moisture, making it a useful species in agro-forestry and watershed management programmes – contributions that extend the plant’s value well beyond the field of sericulture.

What do you think? Given the wide range of uses – from cattle feed and traditional medicine to premium furniture and construction materials – do you think mulberry by-products are being adequately recognised and utilised in sericulture farming systems today? And considering the growing global market for plant-based nutraceuticals, could mulberry leaves and root bark open new income opportunities for small-scale mulberry farmers?

References

1. https://www.agronomyjournals.com/special-issue/2025.v8.i8S.3644
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266671932030011X
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/mulberry-leaf
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9774465/
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6130672/
6. https://blog.inspireuplift.com/mulberry-wood/
7. https://www.drugs.com/npp/white-mulberry.html
8. https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6882-14-200
9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/article/pii/S1756464623002190
10. https://www.wood-database.com/mulberry/
11. https://glamorwood.com/types-of-wood/hardwood/mulberry-wood/
12. https://ourpastimes.com/uses-mulberry-wood-8434836.html
13. https://www.proagrimedia.com/innovation/silkworms-to-silk-garments-part-1-mulberry-tree-cultivation/
14. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392366794_Mulberry_Wood_A_Comprehensive_Review_of_Properties_Applications_and_Sustainable_Industrial_Utilizations
15. https://www.fao.org/4/ac241e/ac241e00.htm