White Mulberry Plantation in Cēre

The Vīnkalni homestead in Cēre parish has the oldest mulberry trees in Latvia, which are still carefully maintained and supplemented today.

Mulberry trees are very common in Asian countries like Japan, China, Korea and India, but are quite rare in Latvia. The first trees were planted in Vīnkalni in 1930. In their native China mulberry trees are grown to feed silkworms and there was an idea that it might be possible to produce silk in Latvia as well. Anete Cute, the owner of the farm at the time, bought seeds in northern Italy with the support of the government and began to establish a mulberry plantation. Her work was interrupted by World War II.

43 of the old black and white mulberry trees (Morus nigra, Morus alba) are still preserved in Vīnkalni today. They continue to grow having withstood very harsh weather conditions and now reach 4–8m in height. This is, however, only small a part of all the trees that were planted here between the wars.

Mulberries bud in late May when both leaves and flowers open at the same time. They annually yield deep purple, sweet and sour berries that resemble blackberries. The greenish-white flowers grow in drooping fronds. The delicious and prized mulberries ripen progressively from mid-summer onwards. The berries fall when they become very ripe and the owners of Vīnkalni pick and freeze them, so they can be eaten even when season is over. Mulberries are exceptionally rich in potassium, antioxidants, iron, vitamin C and magnesium. They also contain calcium, phosphorus and zinc and help restore energy after heavy exertion. They stimulate brain function and are therefore highly recommended for people doing intense mental labour. Mulberry leaves, in turn, are used to make tea that is good for diabetes.

You can take a look around the garden by calling in advance. It is best to visit the mulberry trees when they bloom in May and in the middle of summer when the berries start to ripen.