Paper mulberry is a fast-growing deciduous tree that matures 40-50 feet tall in the wild, though typically smaller in cultivation, with a broad rounded crown and showy fruit that attracts birds. Native to Japan, China, and Polynesia, it was introduced to the United States as a rapid-growing shade tree and has since naturalized across the eastern U.S. from New York to Texas. Hardy in zones 6-9, it thrives in full sun to partial shade and handles drought, heat, humidity, and urban pollution with ease, making it useful for naturalization, shade, or street tree plantings. The tree produces insignificant flowers in April to May, followed by ornamental fruit that wildlife eagerly feeds on and disperses.
Partial Sun
Moderate
6-9
600in H x 480in W
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Moderate
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Paper mulberry grows with remarkable vigor, tolerating poor soils, drought, and urban conditions that would challenge many trees. Its broad crown and showy fruit make it visually interesting across seasons, while its ability to thrive in full sun to partial shade and handle heat and humidity opens planting possibilities in difficult sites. The tree earned its place in American horticulture as a problem-solver, brought here specifically to provide shade where little else would grow quickly.
Paper mulberry serves as a naturalized shade tree and street tree, valued for its rapid growth and ability to establish in poor urban conditions. Its showy fruit is a significant food source for birds and wildlife, making it an asset to landscapes where you want to support local bird populations. The tree's aggressive spreading habit through root suckers and self-seeding means it is used strategically in naturalization projects where rapid canopy establishment is desired, though it requires careful siting to prevent unwanted spread.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Prune paper mulberry in late fall or early winter when the tree is fully dormant; pruning during active growth or in warm months causes significant bleeding from cut surfaces. Shape the tree when young to establish a strong branching structure and desired form, as the fast growth rate means young trees respond well to training.
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“Paper mulberry arrived in the United States with specific purpose: horticulturists sought a fast-growing shade tree that could establish itself rapidly and thrive in challenging conditions. Native to East Asia and the Pacific, the species had long been cultivated in its home regions. Once introduced to American gardens and landscapes, it proved so vigorous and so capable of self-seeding and spreading by root suckers that it escaped cultivation entirely. Today it has naturalized across a wide swath of the eastern United States, from New York south to Florida and west to Texas, a testament to its adaptability if also a reminder that the most vigorous problem-solvers can become problems themselves.”