Princess Tree Paulownia tomentosa
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Princess Tree:
- Phonetic Spelling
- pa-LOH-nee-a toh-men-TOH-suh
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
-
Native to Eastern Asia; listed as an invasive species by the North Carolina Forest Service, USDA National Invasive Species Information Center; the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States
It has brittle wood and is a messy, weedy tree. It produces dense shade making it difficult to grow plants underneath; withstands air pollution and coastal conditions. It can grow in low fertile high acidity and drought but grows best in moist uncompacted well-drained soils.
Site: Tolerates a range of soils but prefers moist, deep, well-drained soil
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Paulownia
- Species:
- tomentosa
- Family:
- Paulowniaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used in paper, veneer, hand-carvings, clogs, musical instuments, furniture, rice pots, water pails, bowls, and spoons and has medicinal uses in Asia.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Dimensions:
- Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 1-1.5 long oval capsule containing thousands of small sticky green turning brown seeds.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Large showy upright cluster of purple tube-like 1.5-2 inch long fragrant flowers. Pale violet with dark spots and yellow stripes; vanilla scented
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-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite simple heart-shaped 5-12 inch velvety pale underside leaves.
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Bark Description:
- Thin greyish brown with shallow fissured bark.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Messy
- Weedy
