Royal Paulownia

Paulownia tomentosa (also known as the Empress Tree, Princess Tree or Foxglove Tree) is a deciduous tree in the genus Paulownia, native to central and western China, but invasive in the US. It grows to 10–25 m tall, with large heart-shaped, five-lobed leaves. A typical mature tree will have a rounded crown, appear heavy with clumsy branches, reaching to 50 feet tall with a 2 foot diameter. Some trees are more symmetrical than others, forming a triangular shape in mid-life growth becoming more rounded with age. The leaves become smaller on mature trees.

The LEAVES are heart-shaped with five-lobes 15–40 cm across, arranged in opposite pairs on the stem. On young growth, the leaves may be in whorls of three and be much bigger than the leaves on more mature growth. The leaves can be mistaken for those of the catalpa. The characteristic large size of the young growth is exploited by gardeners: By pollarding the tree and ensuring there is vigorous new growth every year, massive leaves are produced (up to 60 cm across).

The FLOWERS are produced before the leaves in early spring, on panicles 10–30 cm long, with a tubular purple corolla 4–6 cm long resembling a foxglove flower. Large, showy, upright clusters; very fragrant and appearing in mid-spring. Pollarded trees do not produce flowers as these only form from mature wood.

The FRUIT is an oval capsule, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, filled with numerous (1,000s) small seeds; capsules initially sticky and green, later turning brown and dry, persistent. The seeds are winged and dispersed by wind and water.
The BARK is thin, grayish brown with shallow fissures. TWIGS are stout, light brown with numerous lenticels and the leaf scars are nearly circular, while bundle scars are arranged in a circle. The pith is hollow in the second year, the terminal bud lacking and lateral buds are small.

INVASIVE: The soft, lightweight seeds were commonly used as a packing material by Chinese porcelain exporters in the 19th century, before the development of polystyrene packaging. Packing cases would often leak or burst open in transit and scatter the seeds along rail tracks. This, together with seeds released by specimens deliberately planted for ornament, has allowed the species to become an invasive weed tree in areas where the climate is suitable for its growth, notably Japan and the eastern United States.