Mulberry Meaning and magickal uses
Also called Morus, White Mulberry, Black Mulberry, Mulberry Leaf
A wise, generous tree of silk and sweet fruit, for protection and patient growth.
- Intentions
- Protection, Wisdom, Creativity
- Element
- Air
- Planet
- Mercury
- Day
- Wednesday
- Moon phase
- Waxing Gibbous
- Parts used
- Leaves, fruit, twigs
How to use it
- Patience charm
Mulberry was said to wait until frost had passed before it budded. Tuck a dried leaf into your journal when you are tempted to rush, as a reminder to act at the right time.
- Creative weaving
Place a mulberry leaf beside your sewing, knitting or writing as you start a new project. Ask for the patience of the silkworm and the wisdom to finish what you begin.
- Fruit offering
In summer, leave a few ripe mulberries on your altar or under a tree as thanks. Eat the rest and name one thing you have learned recently.
Works well with
Substitutes
History and folklore
Mulberry leaves are the only food of the silkworm, and legend says a Chinese empress discovered silk when a cocoon fell from a mulberry tree into her tea. The tree is so careful to wait out the cold that the Romans called it the wisest of trees. In Greek myth the white berries turned red with the blood of the lovers Pyramus and Thisbe. Witches work with mulberry for wisdom, protection, patience and creative work.
A wise, generous tree of silk and sweet fruit, for protection and patient growth.
- Intentions: Protection, Wisdom, Creativity
- Element: Air
- Planet: Mercury
- Day: Wednesday
- Moon phase: Waxing Gibbous
- Parts used: Leaves, fruit, twigs
Safety: Ripe mulberries are a common food, though they stain hands and clothes. Unripe berries and the milky sap in leaves and stems can upset the stomach and irritate skin, so wear gloves when cutting branches. Keep pets from eating large amounts of fruit or leaves.
How to use it
- Patience charm. Mulberry was said to wait until frost had passed before it budded. Tuck a dried leaf into your journal when you are tempted to rush, as a reminder to act at the right time.
- Creative weaving. Place a mulberry leaf beside your sewing, knitting or writing as you start a new project. Ask for the patience of the silkworm and the wisdom to finish what you begin.
- Fruit offering. In summer, leave a few ripe mulberries on your altar or under a tree as thanks. Eat the rest and name one thing you have learned recently.
Works well with: Purple Candle, Wednesday, Litha, Amethyst, Air
Folklore
Mulberry leaves are the only food of the silkworm, and legend says a Chinese empress discovered silk when a cocoon fell from a mulberry tree into her tea. The tree is so careful to wait out the cold that the Romans called it the wisest of trees. In Greek myth the white berries turned red with the blood of the lovers Pyramus and Thisbe. Witches work with mulberry for wisdom, protection, patience and creative work.
The Witch's Cabinet is a free reference for your practice. Correspondences are traditional associations, not medical advice. Always follow the safety notes, especially with herbs and essential oils around children, pets and during pregnancy.