Broussonetia papyrifera (paper mulberry, "Kajinoki")

Japanese name: カジノキ （梶木）
Scientific name: Broussonetia papyrifera

[Overview]
A deciduous tree 4–10 m tall.
Large specimens are said to reach 15 m.
The young branches are densely covered with velvety hairs.
The leaves are simple and alternate, 10–20 cm long and 7–14 cm wide, of a distorted ovate-round shape, and often deeply divided into 3–5 lobes.
The leaf base is asymmetrical; the upper surface is rough with sparse stiff short hairs, and the underside is densely covered with velvety soft hairs.
The leaf margins have many teeth.
The stipules are ovate, 1.5–2 cm long and 0.8–1 cm wide.
The leaf stalk is 2–7 cm long.
It is dioecious.
The inflorescences are borne singly in the axils of leaves on young branches.
The male inflorescence is cylindrical, 3–9 cm long and about 1 cm wide, and bears many small male flowers.
The stalk of the male inflorescence is 1.5–2.5 cm long and has soft hairs.
The male flower consists of 4 tepals and 4 stamens.
The female inflorescence is spherical, 1 cm across, and bears many small normal female flowers and sterile female flowers.
The female flower consists of 4 tepals and 1 pistil.
The fruit is an achene, but the ovary stalk and tepals swell to enclose the fruits, forming a spherical aggregate fruit about 3 cm across in total, which ripens red.

[History]
It is widely cultivated and has become naturalized in central and southern China to Malaysia and the Pacific islands, and its exact place of origin is unknown.

[Uses]
The fibers are tough and are used as a raw material for washi (Japanese paper) and textiles.
In the past there was a custom of writing characters on the undersides of the leaves to make Tanabata decorations.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, cuttings, or root cuttings.
It is hardy and not particular about soil, but prefers a sunny to partially shaded place that does not dry out too much.
Cultivation is easy.

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