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Paulownia tomentosa, also known as Royal Paulownia,
Foxglove tree, China Princess tree, or Empress tree, is a
medium sized deciduous tree that may reach 30-60 feet in
height. It is found in 25 states in the eastern U.S.,
from Maine to Texas. Princess tree is an aggressive
ornamental tree that grows rapidly in disturbed natural
areas. It can reach 8 feet in two years from seed. Its
ability to sprout prolifically from adventitious buds on
stems and roots allows it to survive fire, cutting, and
even bulldozing in construction areas.
The perfect flowers of Royal Paulownia are borne in
terminal panicles up to 25 cm long in April and May. They
are violet or blue, and their appearance before the
leaves emerge is quite striking. The tubular purple
corolla is 4-6 cm long, resembling a Foxglove flower.
The bark is rough, gray-brown, and interlaced with shiny,
smooth areas. Stems are olive-brown to dark brown and
hairy. It requires pruning to develop strong structure.
Leaves are large, 4-8 inches, broadly oval to heart-shaped,
or sometimes shallowly three-lobed, and noticeably hairy
on the lower leaf surfaces. They are arranged in pairs
along the stem. There is no Fall color.
The fruit is a dry brown capsule, about 30 to 45 mm long,
with four compartments that may contain several thousand
tiny winged seeds. Capsules mature in Autumn when they
open to release the seeds and then remain attached all
Winter.
Hardiness zones 5-9, (-26°C/-15°F, -5°C/25°F) in
Winter. The tree has been successfully grown in urban
areas where air pollution, poor drainage, compacted soil,
and drought are common. Paulownia thrives best in deep,
moist but well-drained soil.
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