Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Rosales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
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
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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 (11/30/12):
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Broussonetia papyrifera
FAMILY
Moraceae
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
Non-native: east Asia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Common
Look for it in urban lots, disturbed areas, roadsides, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
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
Unisexual
Radially symmetrical
4 sepals
Petals absent
4 stamens in staminate flowers
Superior ovary
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 p107
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests p014
- New Invaders of the Northeast and Northcentral US p033
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast p056
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide p348
- Trees of the Southeastern United States p085
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge p44
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide p078