"Symbolic" The Mulberry Tree

Mulberry trees have been an important source of income for poor families in Italy. They grow very well in most parts and their leaves were sold to feed the voracious silk worms, at the base of Italy's silk industry which used to be far much more important in the past than nowadays, when China's imports have become prevalent. On the other hand , I feel that the "symbolism" mentioned by the old owner, is related to the fact that the tree was "reborn" from its own ashes, like a phoenix. There is a strong symbolism in that rebirth against all odds.  

The Corpo Forestale can now fine you for damaging these trees - so emblematic are they of a former way of life.  An acquaintance had great difficulty getting permission to prune his - which of course actually does them good! Around our parts (S Marche), the girls used to pick the leaves and carry them in baskets on their heads (presumably to the silkworms who would be kept in a room in the house).  During the latter stages of the war, they would hide bread and other food under the leaves to take to Allied PoWs hiding out in the area

Thanks Gala,had always thought of Asia being the sole supplier of silk and not so close to home. The tree also bares  fruit which i think is edible.                                                                                                    Annec thats a lovely romantic story hiding food for the POWs, you mention the word emblematic this jogged my memory,a member of his family emphasized  the word emblematic,just get the feeling that its more than just a tree!

Actually, very close to our home in Bagni di Lucca , there is a derelict building which used to be a silk mill. Many of the local women and children, because of their smaller and more delicate hands, used to work there.nThe silk industry was a most important source of income for the Lucca region since the 12th Century. Tuscan silk was highly appreciated throughout Europe.

The white fruiting Moro Alba is supposed to be the only Mulberry suitable for Silk Moth cultivation &, while the fruit is edible, it's not rated as having much flavour. The dark/black fruiting varieties have a unique & wonderful flavour, but are supposedly useless for silk production. The story goes that when it became fashionable for wealthy English Millords to import exotic oriental Mulberry plants for their expensively landscaped gardens they accidentally, yet happily, ended up with the wrong Mulberry. Our favourite tree, growing undisturbed in the public grounds of a Jacobean London house, has been discovered by the Poles & is now stripped bare. I wonder what colour fruit yours is Atessa? If it's the white, then the lovely symbolic "myth" has some real poignancy. If it's black then you have a very valued, & delicious, asset. I was talking with a lovely elderly lady today that said she had picked all the Mulberries she could use from the tree in her garden & said I could help myself to the rest. We got talking & drinking tea & I just forgot all about the Mulberries. I'll give her a buzz tomorrow I think. Mmmmm! Mulberry Crumbles & Pies.

Atessa, I am afraid that the feudal lords had no direct involvement in silk production. They will wear it and raise taxxes on it; however, the production and trade was in the hands of merchants, who, in turn , will start residing in cities, such as Lucca, creating a new social class, which the French called "bourgeoisie". It is said that that in the case of Lucca, some of them were of Greek and Jewish ancestry and that they came from the southern region called"Magna Grecia" . Also, the first workers, who taught the skills to the locals were Arab and they came from Sicily. Silk merchants became extremely wealthy and powerful. One of them was the Florentine Francesco del GIocondo, who commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to paint his wife, Mona Lisa del Giocondo, or "La Gioconda". All that from the humble mulberry tree and the silkworms!

Mulberry leaves appear in the coat of arms of the MOREY and MORIENS families, and a few others. In this case, it is obvious that it is because they are "armes parlantes) (French is used in Heraldry) or coats of arms that speak for themselves or that convey a message. They try to represent what the family name says: mulberry or mulberry tree. 

Can only find one site that sells them fresh here... £3.99 per 100 gram.