Paulownia tomentosa
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Deciduous tree. Native to central and western China. Two
seedlings set out in 1997 overwintered successfully in our garden and grew
fourteen feet in the summer of 1998, bearing huge elephant-ears and setting
buds for the purple flowers, which unfolded in the spring prior to the
formation of new leaves. The trees grew another 15 feet in the summer of
1999. The neighbors couldn’t help themselves, and after a few over-the-fence
amenities ventured to inquire “What is that?” It is the Empress
Tree, one of the most impressive plants growable from seed, the source
of a fine wood used for making boxes, clogs, musical instruments and pharmaceutical-grade
charcoal. Cultivation: Easy, but we recommend starting
in a flat or in pots, given the small size of the seed. Thin seedlings
early, and separate into individual pots. Grow in a gallon pot until
it looks big enough to survive outdoors, then transplant out to the landscape.
Space trees at least 10 feet apart.
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