Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Rosales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about Paper Mulberry at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Broussonetia papyrifera
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 3 (1997)
Broussonetia papyrifera
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 057-01-001:
Broussonetia papyrifera FAMILY Moraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Papyrius papyriferus
COMMON NAME:
Paper Mulberry
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_papa32_001_lvd
)
JK Marlow s050316_j
March Rutherford County NC
Leaf scars opposite; terminal bud lacking; buds visible, scaled; twigs hairy.
)
Gill Newberry gn04_b_papyrifera_flowers
April
Male flowers in catkins similar to those of Morus, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
JK Marlow jkm080505_009
May Spartanburg County SC
Chinquapin Greenway
Most of the plants in the Southeast are male, with only staminate flowers, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
)
JK Marlow jkm0406m_14
June Greenville County SC
Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow s040603_ad
June Mecklenburg County NC
Parking lot
Upper leaf surfaces are scabrous; lower surfaces velvety pubescent, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
)
JK Marlow s040603_bc
June Mecklenburg County NC
Parking lot
Leaves are lobed or unlobed, with lobed leaves more common on sprouts, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
COMPARE
leaves of Mulberry species
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_b_papyrifera_2
August
)
Gill Newberry gn09_b_branch_tip
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_b_papyrifera
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_b_papyrifera_bark
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_b_papyrifera_leaf
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_b_papyrifera_stem
September
Twigs of the current year densely hairy, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
JK Marlow jkm0410m_14
October Greenville County SC
Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm121006_268
October Washington County VA
Virginia Creeper Trail
Leaves have three prominent veins at the base, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
JK Marlow jkm121006_269
October Washington County VA
Virginia Creeper Trail
Twigs & petioles have long, spreading, glassily transparent hairs, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_b_papyrifera_1
December Floyd County GA
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_1539110
Month Unknown
Most of the plants in the Southeast male, producing only staminate flowers, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_1539112
Month Unknown
)
Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_2308106
Month Unknown
)
Amy Richard, University of Florida, Bugwood.org bug_5349036
Month Unknown
Fruit rare in Southeast, globular, compound, orange turning reddish-purple, per A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5421958
Month Unknown
)
Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org bug_5476536
Month Unknown
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Broussonetia papyrifera
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 3
Broussonetia papyrifera
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 057-01-001:
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Papyrius papyriferus
224
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Dioecious
Habitat: Urban lots, disturbed areas, roadsides, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: east Asia
Common (uncommon in GA Coastal Plain)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Forest Health Assessment & Applied Sciences Team: New Invaders of the Northeast
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
DOES THE PLANT HAVE "MILKY SAP"?
Has milky sap (latex)
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate, opposite, or whorled
FLOWER:
Spring
Yellowish-green
Radially symmetrical
4 sepals
Petals absent
4 stamens in staminate flowers
Superior ovary
Unisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Reddish
Multiple of drupes
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p107
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p014
- New Invaders of the Northeast and Northcentral US (Rawlins et al., 2018) p033
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p056
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007) p348
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p085
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p44
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p078
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