Environmental Nuisance or a Natural Sidewalk Ornament? It Depends Who You Ask

With the arrival of summer, many sidewalks across cities change color. Those walking the streets these days cannot miss the sight: ripe black mulberries falling in large numbers, covering the paths, curbs and even parked cars with dark, vivid stains.

While for sanitation workers and residents this is sometimes an environmental nuisance that dirties public space, others choose to view the phenomenon from a completely different angle. “Do you see dirt here? I see something beautiful here,” says Yitzhak Carmeli, as he displays a handful of ripe mulberries that left vivid purple marks on his hands. “This is the season of black mulberries. When they are ripe, they fall from the tree and fill the sidewalk. Some will call it ‘dirty,’ but in my view the car or the path does not really get dirty, it just gets decorated.” The combination of the juicy fruit and the urban asphalt creates a fascinating contrast that reminds us all of nature’s presence in the heart of the city. For some residents, the sight is an inseparable part of Israeli nostalgia and a sign of the season, reflecting the country’s abundance and its fruits.