Mauie Flores

I have sung "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush" so many times with my kindergarten students during circle time in the past. The song makes a good circle time for the kids. They love to just go around a classmate who we assign as the day's mulberry bush. I have never seen a mulberry bush. Have you?

Guess how surprised I am to know that the mulberry bush is not even a bush but is, in fact, a tree! I tried to research on the difference between the mulberry bush and the mulberry tree but the closest I have come to reference to mulberry bushes are those only of the nursery rhyme. On the other hand, I have read some references like "mulberry bush or tree." That only made me think that the bush is probably a tree! Mulberry trees can grow up to become big shady trees that can reach up to 20 feet tall.

Now, I wonder how the composer of the nursery rhyme came up with the idea of using "mulberry bush". Any idea?