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FACT SHEET: PAPER MULBERRY

Paper Mulberry 

Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Her. ex Vent. 

Mulberry family (Moraceae) 

NATIVE RANGE 

Japan and Taiwan 

DESCRIPTION 

Paper mulberry is a deciduous tree with milky sap that grows to a maximum 

height of about 45 ft. (15 m.). The twigs of paper mulberry are hairy reddish 

brown, the bark is tan and smooth to moderately furrowed, the wood is soft 

and brittle, and it has conical buds. The leaves are densely gray-pubescent, 

often lobed or mitten-shaped, and are alternate, opposite or whorled along the 

stem. The leaf margin is sharply toothed, the leaf base is heart-shaped to 

rounded with pointed tips, and the upper leaf surface is rough feeling. Separate 

male and female flowers appear in the spring. Male flower clusters are 

elongate, pendulous, 2 1⁄2 to 3 in. (6-8 cm) long, and composed of many 

individual flowers. Female flowers are globular and about 1 in. (2cm) in 

diameter. The fruits are reddish purple to orange, 3⁄4-1 in. (1.5-2.0 cm) in 

diameter, and appear in summer. Paper mulberry may be confused with the 

exotic white mulberry and native trees such as red mulberry, sassafras, 

basswood, and white poplar. 

ECOLOGICAL THREAT 

Paper mulberry exhibits aggressive growth and quickly invades disturbed lands, displacing native plants. It has a shallow 

root system that makes the trees susceptible to blow over during high winds. 

DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES 

Paper-mulberry occurs in twenty eight states in the Northeast, Southeast, and 

Midwest, and is reported to be invasive in natural areas in the District of 

Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, 

Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. It is also identified as 

an invasive weed in over a dozen countries around the world. 

HABITAT IN THE UNITED STATES 

Paper mulberry thrives in open habitats such as forest and field edges, and in 

disturbed areas. 

BACKGROUND 

Paper mulberry was known from Florida as early as 1903 and was widely planted throughout the Southeast as an 

ornamental and shade tree around dwellings. The inner bark has been used from ancient times as a source of paper and 

Pacific cultures used it to make barkcloth. 

BIOLOGY & SPREAD 

Paper mulberry spreads both by seed and through vegetative expansion. The seeds are spread far and wide by wildlife 

who feed on the fruits. Paper mulberry expands locally by producing new plants from its roots. 

MANAGEMENT OPTIONS 

With the exception of one systemic herbicide used effectively by plant control contractors in Florida, little information is 

available on control of this plant. Manual and mechanical methods either alone or in combination with herbicide treatment 

are also possible. 
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Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

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Biological 

Biological control is not currently available for this plant. 

Chemical

Basal bark, cut-stem, hack-and-squirt, or injection methods of herbicide application are recommended because these 

methods, if used properly, focus applications to target species, minimize the overall amount of herbicide applied, and 

reduce environmental impacts. Basal bark application of the systemic herbicide Garlon® 4 (triclopyr ester @ 61.6% a.i.) 

with a 15-20% mix in horticultural oil will achieve effective control. Garlon® 3A (triclopyr amine @ 44.4% a.i.) may be used 

with a 50% mix in water for cut stump applications. Herbicide can also be applied using a hatchet* to make angled cuts 

into the trunk, into which concentrated herbicide is squirted from a hand-held spray bottle. For this method, use a 10% 

mixture of Garlon® 4 in horticultural oil, or a 15% rate for larger trees. Triclopyr products such as Brush-B-Gon® are 

available at many garden and hardware stores. 

*A "hypo-hatchet," a hatchet equipped with a mechanism that automatically injects pre-measured amounts of herbicide 

into cuts upon impact, may also be used. 

Manual 

Pull seedlings by hand when the ground is moist. 

Mechanical 

Cut young plants to the ground, repeating as necessary to control regrowth from sprouts. 

USE PESTICIDES WISELY: Always read the entire pesticide label carefully, follow all mixing and application instructions and wear all 

recommended personal protective gear and clothing. Contact your state department of agriculture for any additional pesticide use 

requirements, restrictions or recommendations. 

NOTICE: mention of pesticide products on this page does not constitute endorsement of any material.

SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE PLANTS 

A wide variety of native trees are available as substitutes for paper mulberry, including basswood (Tilia heterophylla), 

sassafras (Sassafras albidum), red maple (Acer rubrum), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), and black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), 

to name just a few. Check with your local native plant society for species that are suitable for your area. 

OTHER LINKS 

• http://www.invasive.org/search/action.cfm?q=Broussonetia%20papyrifera 

• http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/broussonetia_papyrifera.htm

AUTHOR 

Jil M. Swearingen, National Park Service, National Capital Region, Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, DC 

REVIEWERS 

Ruark Cleary, Lisa Samuelson 

PHOTOGRAPH 

Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, invasive.org 

REFERENCES 

Coile, N.C. 2001. A Paper on Mulberries and the Invasive Paper Mulberry. In: 16th Annual Symposium, Florida Exotic 

Pest Plant Council, ed. anonymous. September 11-14, St. Augustine, p. 18. (abstract). 

Flora of North America. Volume 3. Broussonetia papyrifera

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=104684 

Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A Synonymized Checklist and Atlas with Biological Attributes for the Vascular Flora of the United 

States, Canada, and Greenland. First Edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North 

American Flora, version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, NC. 
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Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group 

Xeeds HoneXild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas 

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/

Langeland, K. and R. Stocker. 1997. Control of Non-native Plants in Natural Areas of Florida. University of Florida, 

Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. 

Miller, Lorraine. 2000. Paper Mullberry, Broussenetia papyrifera, Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Southern 

Region, National Forests in Florida. Protection Report R8-PR 46. 

Morgan, E.C. and W.A. Overholt. 2004. Wildland Weeds: Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia payprifera). 

Small, J.K. 1903. Flora of the Southeastern United States. Pub. by author, New York. 1370 pp. 

Swearingen, J. 2009. WeedUS Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States: Paper Mulberry 

(Broussonetia papyrifera). http://www.invasive.org/weedus/subject.html?sub=5208. 

USDA GRIN-NPGS Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent. USDA Plants Database 

USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 

70874-4490 USA.