Talk:Paper mulberry

Broussonetia kazinoki × B. papyrifera

The Japanese page for kozo [] says the Latin name is "Broussonetia kazinoki × B. papyrifera," but this article does not mention kazinoki. The Japanese page linked to this one [] discusses Broussonetia papyrifera, but not B. kazinoki. Not sure what all this means, but thought I should leave this note for reference. Wakablogger2 (talk) 23:07, 3 January 2010 (UTC)

This saga has finally been resolved. Kuo-Fang Chung and colleagues in Taiwan have determined that hanji and kozo (in Korea and Japan, respectively) are papers made from a domesticated hybrid, which their genetic work has shown to be Broussonetia papyrifera x Broussonetia monoica. This hybrid is equivalent to Broussonetia kazinoki; since we now know it is of hybrid origin, the botanical binomial has since been revised to Broussonetia × kazinoki.

Confusingly, "kazinoki" is the term in Japanese used to refer to the nonnative paper mulberry (i.e, Broussonetia papyrifera, which is native to warmer climates of southern China and Indochina). But since Siebold was the first to assign the binomial to what Japanese artisans call kozo, his Latin binomial has nomenclatural priority, and so kozo is named B. × kazinoki.

Implications - article needs revision, and equivocation of kozo / hanji papermaking in Japan and Korea with Broussonetia papyrifera are therefore erroneous. While folks in warmer regions (Vietnam, Thailand) still make paper from B. papyrifera, this is not the case in temperate East Asia. (Ethno)botanical distinctions between B. papyrifera and B. × kazinoki should be emphasized.

See the citation below for the nuts and bolts.

Kuo, W. H., Liu, S. H., Chang, C. C., Hsieh, C. L., Li, Y. H., Ito, T., ... & Chung, K. F. (2022). Plastome phylogenomics of Allaeanthus, Broussonetia and Malaisia (Dorstenieae, Moraceae) and the origin of B.× kazinoki. Journal of Plant Research, 135(2), 203-220.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wen-Hsi-Kuo/publication/358147249_Plastome_phylogenomics_of_Allaeanthus_Broussonetia_and_Malaisia_Dorstenieae_Moraceae_and_the_origin_of_B_kazinoki/links/68bad2241c541042f3068804/Plastome-phylogenomics-of-Allaeanthus-Broussonetia-and-Malaisia-Dorstenieae-Moraceae-and-the-origin-of-B-kazinoki.pdf

Manila folder (talk) 05:20, 1 February 2026 (UTC)

Cultural Reference

The "Cultural Reference" section needs to be improved, as it is currently composed primarily of incomplete sentences. Also, there are no references cited for this information. While I found the information interesting, it currently lacks the credibility required to be an encyclopedic entry. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.217.222.211 (talk) 08:15, 30 May 2012 (UTC)

Growing like bananas

given that paper mulberry generally only survives under human cultivation

Not so here in Taiwan. Jidanni (talk) 17:30, 2 June 2021 (UTC)

Expects vines

One notices this tree expects vines will cover it, thus has long branches with few leaves. Alas, nobody has done a study one can quote. Jidanni (talk) 15:49, 27 January 2026 (UTC)