Editing Broussonetia papyrifera

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Paper mulberry (''Broussonetia papyrifera'')
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Broussonetia papyrifera (5341912442).jpg|280px|Broussonetia papyrifera (paper mulberry).]]
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Broussonetia papyrifera'' <sup id="cite_ref-1">[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Genus
| [[Broussonetia]] <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Family
| [[Moraceae]] <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Order
| [[Rosales]] <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Synonym
| ''Morus papyrifera'' <sup id="cite_ref-2">[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>
|-
! Habit
| Deciduous shrub or tree
|-
! Native range
| India through East Asia <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>
|-
! Fruit
| Orange-red spherical or pear-shaped aggregates <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>
|-
! Pollination
| Dioecious; wind-pollinated <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>
|-
! Propagation
| Seed, cuttings, or root suckers <sup id="cite_ref-3">[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>
|}

''Broussonetia papyrifera'', commonly called paper mulberry, is a fast-growing deciduous shrub or tree in the mulberry family. Its native range extends from India through East Asia, where it occurs in mixed woodland, forest margins, and secondary vegetation. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup> ''Morus papyrifera'' is a documented previous name. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Description ==

Paper mulberry develops a broad, spreading crown and can produce vigorous root sprouts. Separate male and female plants bear their flowers in spring; female plants can produce orange-red fruit in late summer when pollinated. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> The root-suckering habit can create dense thickets, so plant it where spreading can be monitored and remove unwanted shoots while they are small. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

== Cultivation ==

=== Soil and water ===

Use a well-drained root zone and avoid planting where water remains stagnant. The species occurs in woodland edges and secondary vegetation, and the most vigorous growth is associated with fertile, well-drained soil; established plants are described as drought-tolerant by North Carolina Extension, while the University of Arkansas account also records growth on a poor, dry site. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> These dry-site observations do not make prolonged drought a substitute for establishment watering. Root suckers should be cut or removed promptly where a thicket is not wanted. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Sun and humidity ===

A sheltered full-sun position is the clearest cultivation starting point, although North Carolina Extension notes that the species tolerates some shade and poor soil. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> Give the crown room to spread and keep the planting away from structures or beds where root sprouts would be difficult to control. The native woodland-edge habit supports protection from drying exposure rather than a requirement for deep shade. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>

=== Seasonal changes ===

The tree is deciduous. Flowers occur in spring and female plants may carry orange-red fruit in late summer. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> Maintain moisture while new plants establish, then adjust irrigation to local rainfall and root-zone drying rather than a fixed calendar. Dormant-season pruning is the practical time identified for controlling unwanted growth. <sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> Kew's cultivation profile lists tolerance to at least −5 °C; treat that value as a qualified account-specific indication, not a guaranteed hardiness limit for every provenance or site. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup>

== Propagation ==

Propagation is documented by seed, cuttings, and root suckers. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> Kew characterizes the seeds as recalcitrant, so prolonged dry storage is unsuitable; sow fresh seed when possible or use a documented vegetative method. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup> Root suckers can establish new plants readily, but they should be removed rather than transplanted when the goal is to prevent spread. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

Paper mulberry is dioecious and wind-pollinated: male and female flowers occur on different plants, and fruiting requires a female plant with access to pollen. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> The University of Arkansas account notes that many plants in southern plantings are clonally propagated males and that fruit had not been seen on the author's local plants, so a leafy planting should not be assumed to be capable of bearing. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

Female flowers develop into orange-red spherical or pear-shaped fruit aggregates, generally in late summer. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> Harvest timing should follow color and softness under local conditions; the packet does not establish a species-wide harvest calendar.

== Fruit and uses ==

The fruit is described as edible and orange-red at maturity. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup> In a single-tree observation from Chiang Mai, Eric Danell described orange fruit balls made of cylindrical fruits with dark red seeds; he found that tree's fruit sweet but without aroma, with crunchy small seeds and a lingering unpleasant aftertaste. <sup id="cite_ref-4">[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup> That observation is useful for showing possible fruit-quality variation, but it does not establish a universal flavor profile or food-safety conclusion.

Pollen can be an allergy concern, and the species' vigorous suckering or seed set has produced weedy or invasive behavior in some regions. <sup>[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup> Check local requirements before planting and keep both fruiting spread and root-sucker spread within the space that can be managed.

== References ==

* <span id="cite_note-1"></span>[[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:850861-1/general-information Plants of the World Online: ''Broussonetia papyrifera''].

* <span id="cite_note-2"></span>[[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/Broussonetia-papyrifera-Paper-Mulberry-05-27-2016.aspx University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension: ''Broussonetia papyrifera'', Paper Mulberry].

* <span id="cite_note-3"></span>[[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/broussonetia-papyrifera/ North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: ''Broussonetia papyrifera''].

* <span id="cite_note-4"></span>[[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://dokmaidogma.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/paper-mulberry-fruits-are-they-edible/ Eric Danell: Paper Mulberry fruits – are they edible?].

== Image credits ==

* ''Broussonetia papyrifera'' (paper mulberry), by David Eickhoff, [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ CC BY 2.0], via [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Broussonetia_papyrifera_(5341912442).jpg Wikimedia Commons].