Germination temperature
Studies disagree: 90% germination at alternating 20/10 °C (68/50 °F) in one Chinese test; in another, 30 °C (86 °F) was the best of 25-35 °C.
Tree growing guide
Paper mulberry is a very fast-growing fibre and fodder tree raised from tiny, light-loving seeds. This guide covers sowing, the temperatures that work, and the responsible-planting points that matter: suckering, invasiveness and allergenic pollen.
Studies disagree: 90% germination at alternating 20/10 °C (68/50 °F) in one Chinese test; in another, 30 °C (86 °F) was the best of 25-35 °C.
On the surface or only just covered; the seed is tiny (about 540,000 per kg).
Laboratory tests recorded germination within 14 days.
Helps: 16 hours of light a day gave the best germination in a 2023 study.
None needed. Seed is orthodox and can be stored dry.
Raise in trays or a seedbed and plant out into weed-free ground.
In India the fruit ripens in the rainy season, July-September. Remove the pulp, rinse and dry the seed. World Agroforestry classes the seed as orthodox; researchers dried it at 25 °C (77 °F) and kept it in sealed glass bottles, which also suits home storage.
Not needed for home sowing.
Not needed. Paper mulberry is a subtropical monsoon tree, and good germination in tests came from warm or warm-cool alternating temperatures without a cold period.
Not needed. In laboratory work a gibberellic acid (GA3) soak at 1,600 mg/L raised germination from about 10% to 72%, but plain water and correct light and temperature are enough for ordinary sowing.
A Sichuan study found 20/10 °C (68/50 °F) day/night best, with 90% germination. A 2023 Hunan study tested only 25, 30 and 35 °C and found 30 °C (86 °F) best, but untreated germination there stayed around 32%. Mild days with cooler nights seem the safest choice; in the Indian plains that means the cooler months rather than peak summer.
Scatter thinly on the surface of a fine seed mix and press in, or cover with only a sprinkle of fine sand. Deep sowing keeps out the light the seed responds to.
A fine, free-draining mix. For planting out, World Agroforestry lists moist, well-drained sandy loams and light soils.
Keep evenly moist. In the Sichuan test germination fell steadily as water stress rose and stopped completely below -0.86 MPa, so a seed tray must never dry out.
Give daylight or a grow light: 16 hours of light with 8 hours of dark gave the highest germination (26%) in the 2023 study, continuous light the lowest (10%).
Seedlings appeared within the 14-day observation period of the 2023 study. Keep trays for a few more weeks before giving up on a batch.
Pot seedlings on once they can be handled, then plant out into a well-prepared site cleared of grass and weeds; World Agroforestry notes the tree is sensitive to root competition. Choose a sunny spot well away from buildings, paths and natural woodland.
Weed around young trees for the first year; after that they usually need little care. Growth is fast: the Queensland risk assessment reports 3-4 m (10-13 ft) in 6 months at best, more often in 12-18 months.
Cause: seed buried too deep, kept in the dark or held at a constant warm temperature. Fix: surface-sow, give 16 hours of light and, if possible, cooler nights.
Cause: paper mulberry is not drought tolerant. Fix: water regularly while young and mulch around the base.
Cause: root suckers from the shallow roots; cutting the main stem makes more. Fix: plant away from beds and lawns and dig suckers out while small.
Cause: wind-blown pollen from male trees; in Islamabad it is regarded as the main cause of inhalant allergy. Fix: do not plant near homes, schools or hospitals.
Cause: Helicoverpa armigera caterpillars on leaves; birds, monkeys and rodents on ripe fruit. Fix: inspect young trees and remove caterpillars by hand.
Paper mulberry is native from India to Korea and Indo-China (POWO), but it is a serious invader in Pakistan, Ghana, Uganda and Argentina and is listed as invasive in 11 US states. Birds spread the seed, so outside its native range check local rules and keep it away from natural areas.
Trees are either male or female. Only female trees fruit, only males shed pollen, and seedlings cannot be told apart until they flower.
World Agroforestry gives 0-1,000 m altitude, 12-30 °C (54-86 °F) mean annual temperature and 700-2,500 mm rainfall. It is frost hardy but not drought tolerant.
The tree regrows well after cutting. Coppice rotations of 3-10 years are used for bark fibre and pulp, and the leaves are lopped for fodder and silkworms.
Surface-sow paper mulberry seed in a bright, moist tray for a fast fibre and fodder tree.
It can be. It is native to India and East Asia, but it spreads by bird-dispersed seed and root suckers and is a major invader in Pakistan, parts of Africa, Argentina and the USA. Plant it only where local rules allow and away from natural areas.
Yes, its pollen is a known allergen. A study in Islamabad found that allergy patient numbers rose with pollen counts, so avoid planting it close to houses.
It is probably a male tree. Males and females are separate trees, and only females bear fruit.
No. Fresh or dry-stored seed germinates without cold treatment when sown on the surface, kept moist and given light.