Forager says the mulberry leaves about to fall from your tree can be used for tea

As mulberry trees begin shedding their leaves, one TikToker says there is an easy way to make the most of the seasonal drop.

What's happening?

In a short video, creator Nicholas (@nicholasisbarefoo) shared a simple tip for using mulberry leaves that are about to fall by drying and storing them for tea during the winter months.

@nicholasisbarefoo

onspiracy time!! The earth provides all the medicine you need, exactly at the time you need it. Mulberry leafs are rich in calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.. They can be used cor blood sugar management, reducing cholesterol as well as reducing inflammation.. You can look the leafs in stir frys, curry's or just like any other cooking green... Or use them in tea!! The tree is winter deciduous so just as its leafs are turning and about to fall into like to harvest the leafs, dry them and store them for medicinal tea for over the winter... Whats not to love about mulberries, fruit, edible leaf that also provides tea, grows from cuttings and you can even use it to build a living fence.

♬ original sound - Nicholasisbarefoot

Nicholas urged viewers to see the leaves as more than yard waste. The post's caption says mulberry leaves contain calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium, and can be cooked in stir-fries or curries or steeped into tea.

He goes on to say that he prefers to gather leaves as the winter-deciduous tree begins shedding them, then dry and store them for "medicinal tea" later in the colder months.

The video also reflects a broader social media trend in which people rethink common backyard plants as useful household resources rather than something to toss in the compost or trash.

Why does it matter?

Access to a mulberry tree can turn a free seasonal material into something potentially useful.

Homemade tea or cooking greens could mean one less item to buy at the store. Using leaves that would otherwise fall and decompose elsewhere can also cut waste and make use of plants already growing in yards or neighborhoods.

The tip requires only leaves from a tree and a simple harvest before the seasonal drop.

What can I do?

Basic safety steps include correctly identifying the tree, avoiding leaves from areas exposed to pesticides or heavy roadside pollution, and washing the leaves thoroughly before drying or cooking them.

Young or healthy-looking leaves can be prepared like other cooking greens, while leaves gathered before the seasonal drop can be dried and stored in an airtight container for making tea later.

One commenter added another simple tip: "Don't forget to wash them, mine had dirt all over them and I don't want dirt tea."

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