The Paulownia field guide

Meet the tree

Paulownia has been grown in China for more than 2,000 years. It was prized for its fast growth and light timber, and it was often planted near homes as a sign of prosperity. The wood went into furniture and musical instruments. Over time the tree spread to Japan, where it is called kiri, then to Korea, and later to Europe and the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Today Paulownia is grown around the world for timber, animal feed, bioenergy, and soil restoration. It is among the fastest-growing hardwoods, adapts to many soils and climates, and can be propagated from seed, cuttings, or tissue culture.

At a glance: Paulownia fortunei

Common names

Dragon tree, Fortune's empress tree (Princess tree and empress tree usually mean P. tomentosa.)

Family

Paulowniaceae (earlier placed in Scrophulariaceae or Bignoniaceae)

Native range

Southern and central China, Taiwan, Laos, and Vietnam

Hardiness

USDA zones 6 to 10

Mature height

50 to 75 ft

Form

Tall, straight, fairly narrow crown. Favored for timber.

Flowers

Pale violet to creamy white, fragrant, in early spring before the leaves

Soil

Well-drained. Sensitive to waterlogged ground.