Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Sometimes short streets lead to the biggest discoveries. When I checked my list of streets this morning, I was directed to North Lane Drive, a tiny dead-end street just south of the railroad tracks near W. 117th. The “street” is basically the parking lot for the Lakewood Club Apartments. I’m not sure why this apartment complex has street signs for both of its parking lots (there is also a South Lane Drive), but my guess is they used to be through streets before the apartment complex was built.
When I arrived at the turn around spot, I realized my bike tires were a dark purple color. The grass and parking lot were covered in blackberries (or so I thought). I rested one on the seat of my bike to snap a quick picture before tossing it in my mouth to sample.
Then I realized they were from a nearby tree and not the usual prickly blackberry bush. I began to worry if they were appropriate for human consumption. I pulled a leaf from the tree to take home and identify (just to be safe).
A quick online search identified the fruit as a mulberry, and to my relief mulberries are perfectly safe to eat. In fact, the bark and leaves are also edible, with many cultures making mulberry tea from the leaves. As I was leaving, I glanced back at the sign for the apartment complex wondering if the strange shape at the bottom might in fact be a smashed mulberry.
