Paper mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera

The paper mulberry is cultivated in its native Asia for its strong bark, which makes excellent high quality paper. It also bears deliciously sweet-tasting red fruits, which although not grown commercially, are an important source of food for wildlife.

The mulberry family (Moraceae) is largely native to tropical and sub-tropical climates and includes the fig, breadfruit, banyan and the mulberry. Although not in the same genus as the black mulberry (Morus nigra), which is common to Britain, the paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is part of the same family and shares certain characteristics.

Like the black and white mulberry, the paper mulberry bears fruit. While the male flowers are little more than woolly catkins, the female flowers develop into bright red, fleshy balls, which are sweet to taste. Despite this, the fruits are not cultivated commercially as they are too delicate to transport but provide an important source of food for birds and other animals.

As well as its delicious fruit, the paper mulberry is known for its strong bark, which in Japan is used for making high quality paper, hence its common name. In Fiji, the bark is made into a type of cloth called masi, which is dyed and decorated and worn at traditional Fijian ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

Tolerant to pollution, extreme heat and poor soil, Broussonetia papyrifera might seem the ideal tree to introduce in the wild. However, due to its high levels of water consumption it tends to crowds out native plants. Despite having a wide-ranging root system that it uses to seek out water, it is not a particularly stable tree as the roots spread outwards rather than down. As a result trees are often blown down. In addition the pollen count from the tree can be very high and is said to be the top cause of allergies in Islamabad, Pakistan.