Paulownia

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Paulownia tomentosa


Plant Characteristics
Origin: ✈ ?
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ ?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water: ◍ ?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.
Scientific Names

Paulowniaceae >

Paulownia >



Read about Paulownia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Paulownia (after Anna Paulowna, princess of the Netherlands). Scrophulariaceae. Ornamental trees, grown for their beautiful flowers in showy panicles and for their large handsome foliage.

Deciduous, rarely half-evergreen: lvs. opposite, long- petioled, entire or sometimes 3-lobed or coarsely toothed, without stipules: fls.-. in terminal panicles; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; corolla with long slightly curved tube, and spreading oblique 5-lobed limb; stamens 4: fr. a 2-celled caps., loculicidally dehiscent, with numerous small winged seeds.—About 8 species in China; in Japan only cult.

The paulownias are medium-sized or fairly large trees with stout spreading branches, large long-petioled leaves similar to those of catalpa, and violet or nearly white large flowers resembling those of the foxglove or gloxinia in shape, appearing in terminal panicles before or with the leaves and followed by ovoid pods remaining on the tree and conspicuous during the winter. P. tomentosa is fairly hardy in sheltered positions as far north as Massachusetts, but the flower-buds are usually - killed in winter, and it does not flower regularly north of New York City; plants raised from seed collected in Korea have proved hardier at the Arnold Arboretum than the commonly cultivated Japanese plant, also the var. lanata from Central China seems to be somewhat hardier. As an ornamental foliage plant it may be grown as far north as Montreal, where it is killed to the ground every winter, but throws up from the root vigorous shoots attaining 10 to 14 feet, with leaves over 1 foot and occasionally even 2 feet long. If used as a foliage plant and cut back to the ground every spring, the young shoots should be removed, except one or very few on each plant; during the first years of this treatment they will grow more vigorous every year, but afterward they will decrease in size, weakened by the continuous cutting back; they should then be replaced by strong young plants. Where the flower-buds which are formed the previous year are not killed by frost, the paulownia is one of the most conspicuous flowering trees in spring, and in summer the foliage, although it is of somewhat dull color, attracts attention by the size of the leaves. In temperate climates it is sometimes used as an avenue tree. It thrives best in a light deep loam, and in a sheltered position. The other species are still little known in cultivation and are probably tenderer; they are great favorites with the Chinese and much planted in central and southern China. Propagation is by seeds sown in spring or by root-cuttings, and by greenwood cuttings under glass; it may be grown also from leaf-cuttings; the young unfolding leaves when about 1 inch long are cut off close to the stems and inserted in sand under a hand-glass in the propagating-house.

Paulownia tomentosa in southern California reaches a height of 40 feet in twenty-five years, with a spread nearly as great. When in full leaf it makes a dense shade. It starts to bloom before the leaves come and all is over before the tree is in full leaf. For this reason it is not a favorite. The Jacaranda is a prettier blue, more floriferous, lasts three times as long, the blooms continuing until the tree is in full leaf. It is out of leaf not more than half as long as is paulownia and in mild winters holds much of its foliage throughout, being properly an evergreen. It makes as dense shade as the paulownia, has a prettier leaf and is more desirable in every way. The growth of the two trees is about the same at the end of a quarter century. The habit of the paulownia in retaining dry seed-pods on dead limbs 3 or 4 feet long is very unpleasing, and necessitates a thorough cleaning each year to the tip end of the uppermost branch—often a hard task to accomplish. (Ernest Braunton.) P. Duclouxii, Dode. Tree, to 60 ft.: lvs. oblong-ovate, with open sinus- at the base, tomentose below, to 1 ft. long: fls. about 3 in. long, pale lavender-purple, not spotted ; calyx with acute tomentoee lobes and glabrous or glabrescent tube ; corolla rather gradually narrowed toward the base. Cent, and 8. W. China.—P. Fargesii, Franch. Tree, to 60 ft.: branchlets usually piloee: lvs. pubescent or glandular above, slightly pubescent beneath, entire or with few coarse teeth: fls. lavender or whitish, 2 1/2 in. long; calyx tomentose outside'- with triangular acutish lobes. W. China.—P. Fortunei, Hemsl. Tree, to 20 ft. : lvs. sub-coriaceous, densely tomentose below, ovate or ovate-oblong, to 10 in. long: fls. to 4 in. long, white, spotted purple inside; calyx 1 in. long, glabrous outside except the acutish lobes; corolla rather gradually narrowed toward the baee. S. E. China.—P. Silvestrii, Pampanini & Bonat. Small tree: lvs. densely brown-woolly, narrow, deeply cordate, 3-5 in. long: fls. in leafy panicles, sky-blue; calyx densely tomentose, with oblong obtusish lobes. Cent. China.—P. Thyrsodea, Rehd. Tree, to 20 ft.: branchlcts and petioles piloee: lvs. ovate, usually truncate at the base, sparingly pubescent, often irregularly and remotely toothed, 4-6 in. long: fls. with the lvs., lavender, 1 1/2 in. long, in spike-like racemes forming terminal panicles about 1 ft. long; calyx tomentose, about 1/2in. long. Cent, and S. E. China.CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


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