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Paulownia (after Anna Paulowna, princess of the Netherlands).
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Scrophulariaceae. Ornamental trees, grown for their beautiful flowers
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in showy panicles and for their large handsome foliage.
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Deciduous, rarely half-evergreen: lvs. opposite, long- petioled,
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entire or sometimes 3-lobed or coarsely toothed, without stipules:
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fls.-. in terminal panicles; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; corolla with
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long slightly curved tube, and spreading oblique 5-lobed limb;
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stamens 4: fr. a 2-celled caps., loculicidally dehiscent, with
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numerous small winged seeds.—About 8 species in China; in Japan only
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cult.
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The paulownias are medium-sized or fairly large trees with stout
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spreading branches, large long-petioled leaves similar to those of
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catalpa, and violet or nearly white large flowers resembling those of
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the foxglove or gloxinia in shape, appearing in terminal panicles
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before or with the leaves and followed by ovoid pods remaining on the
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tree and conspicuous during the winter. P. tomentosa is fairly hardy
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in sheltered positions as far north as Massachusetts, but the
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flower-buds are usually - killed in winter, and it does not flower
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regularly north of New York City; plants raised from seed collected
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in Korea have proved hardier at the Arnold Arboretum than the
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commonly cultivated Japanese plant, also the var. lanata from Central
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China seems to be somewhat hardier. As an ornamental foliage plant it
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may be grown as far north as Montreal, where it is killed to the
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ground every winter, but throws up from the root vigorous shoots
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attaining 10 to 14 feet, with leaves over 1 foot and occasionally
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even 2 feet long. If used as a foliage plant and cut back to the
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ground every spring, the young shoots should be removed, except one
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or very few on each plant; during the first years of this treatment
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they will grow more vigorous every year, but afterward they will
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decrease in size, weakened by the continuous cutting back; they
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should then be replaced by strong young plants. Where the flower-buds
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which are formed the previous year are not killed by frost, the
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paulownia is one of the most conspicuous flowering trees in spring,
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and in summer the foliage, although it is of somewhat dull color,
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attracts attention by the size of the leaves. In temperate climates
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it is sometimes used as an avenue tree. It thrives best in a light
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deep loam, and in a sheltered position. The other species are still
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little known in cultivation and are probably tenderer; they are great
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favorites with the Chinese and much planted in central and southern
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China. Propagation is by seeds sown in spring or by root-cuttings,
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and by greenwood cuttings under glass; it may be grown also from
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leaf-cuttings; the young unfolding leaves when about 1 inch long are
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cut off close to the stems and inserted in sand under a hand-glass in
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the propagating-house.
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Paulownia tomentosa in southern California reaches a height of 40
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feet in twenty-five years, with a spread nearly as great. When in
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full leaf it makes a dense shade. It starts to bloom before the
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leaves come and all is over before the tree is in full leaf. For this
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reason it is not a favorite. The Jacaranda is a prettier blue, more
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floriferous, lasts three times as long, the blooms continuing until
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the tree is in full leaf. It is out of leaf not more than half as
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long as is paulownia and in mild winters holds much of its foliage
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throughout, being properly an evergreen. It makes as dense shade as
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the paulownia, has a prettier leaf and is more desirable in every
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way. The growth of the two trees is about the same at the end of a
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quarter century. The habit of the paulownia in retaining dry
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seed-pods on dead limbs 3 or 4 feet long is very unpleasing, and
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necessitates a thorough cleaning each year to the tip end of the
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uppermost branch—often a hard task to accomplish. (Ernest Braunton.)
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P. Duclouxii, Dode. Tree, to 60 ft.: lvs. oblong-ovate, with open
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sinus- at the base, tomentose below, to 1 ft. long: fls. about 3 in.
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long, pale lavender-purple, not spotted ; calyx with acute tomentoee
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lobes and glabrous or glabrescent tube ; corolla rather gradually
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narrowed toward the base. Cent, and 8. W. China.—P. Fargesii, Franch.
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Tree, to 60 ft.: branchlets usually piloee: lvs. pubescent or
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glandular above, slightly pubescent beneath, entire or with few
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coarse teeth: fls. lavender or whitish, 2 1/2 in. long; calyx
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tomentose outside'- with triangular acutish lobes. W. China.—P.
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Fortunei, Hemsl. Tree, to 20 ft. : lvs. sub-coriaceous, densely
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tomentose below, ovate or ovate-oblong, to 10 in. long: fls. to 4 in.
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long, white, spotted purple inside; calyx 1 in. long, glabrous
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outside except the acutish lobes; corolla rather gradually narrowed
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toward the baee. S. E. China.—P. Silvestrii, Pampanini & Bonat. Small
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tree: lvs. densely brown-woolly, narrow, deeply cordate, 3-5 in.
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long: fls. in leafy panicles, sky-blue; calyx densely tomentose, with
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oblong obtusish lobes. Cent. China.—P. Thyrsodea, Rehd. Tree, to 20
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ft.: branchlcts and petioles piloee: lvs. ovate, usually truncate at
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the base, sparingly pubescent, often irregularly and remotely
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toothed, 4-6 in. long: fls. with the lvs., lavender, 1 1/2 in. long,
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in spike-like racemes forming terminal panicles about 1 ft. long;
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calyx tomentose, about 1/2in. long. Cent, and S. E. China.
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ALFRED REHDER.
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}}
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{{Taxonavigation|
 
{{Taxonavigation|
 
Domain|Eukaryota|
 
Domain|Eukaryota|
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