Paulownia tree owners????

[CORNISH_MAN]

Wanted to know from people who actually have one of these trees how do they hold up in the wind. Do they loose alot of branches in heavy wind or do they hold up pretty good? Thanks alot

 

[coloradochick]

CM I've never heard of this tree. Does it only grow down south?

 

[CORNISH_MAN]

Quote:
No it will grow in zones 5-11. It is the fastest growing hardwood tree, growing up to 20' a year. Alot of states consider it invasive but there are several varieties of it that are not invasive. Here is a link if youd like to read more about it. Not only are they a fast growing tree but they are great looking.

http://www.paulowniatrees.com/

http://www.worldpaulownia.com/html/about_paulownia.html

http://www.dragontrees.com/dragonhi.html

 

[Junior]

i am currently battling one that has came up behind my house......you cant kill the dang things.when it first came up about 7 years ago i'd cut it down....it would come back the next year....cut it again & then spray round up on it...that didn't work either.i have cut it down every year (i haven't this year yet) and it keeps coming back.

i have seen some mature trees and they seem to do alright in the wind.......but i would not plant any of those things.i also have yet to see anybody sell any at any sort of a premium price that was touted several years ago.

from what i have read about it they used to use the seeds as packing material (for china)shipped from the Orient and it spread from there.

Junior

 

[welasharon]

Is this the tree that smells bad...like tar maybe? Or something singed?

 

[coreybee]

The Paulowina tree, or Empress Tree is considered a nuisance tree. They are difficult to kill. They have dinnerplate sized leaves, and grow very rapidly with beautiful blossoms in the spring. Since they are difficult to kill, I would say they are fine in storms as they will always come back. They are a little flimsy their first year however. We had one when I lived in NC.

 

[Smoky73]

I had been trying to grow one for years here to use as a shade tree for the birds. The first year I let it go so high and then planted it outside and it died. The last time I tried it, I raised it in a pot in spring/summer outside and then would move it inside for the winter. The third spring it died and never came back.

 

[CORNISH_MAN]

Quote:
I wonder what the problem is. They are suppose to grow in your zone.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Some areas consider these trees to be an invasive species and really try to discourage your planting them.

At one point the wood was very valuable and people were planting them all over the place here in the states. The wood was very valuable in Japan in particular. Then the market for it totally crashed. I am not certain of why, I *think* Japan banned the import of it from the U.S.

Anyway, I am surprised your having trouble growing it, around here they grow like weeds and you cannot transport in live trees and seeds are strongly discouraged.

We have TONS of them. They are pretty in the spring and good shade trees but they are a hollow limbed tree so yes you get pretty good limb loss in high winds.

But, we get serious limb loss from tulip poplar too.... The kids like them because they pick up these huge branches and look really strong. We video tape them carting this huge limbs around! Like balsa the wood is so light its useless.

Are you looking for rapid growth??

 

[Smoky73]

I know that I was wanting rapid growth, not sure about the OP though. All we have out here are sickly elms, and most of our trees are slowly being cut down as needed, though that does leave us no shade. We finally left a started elm alone out by the coop, they always grow where you DONT want them. So far the elm is about as tall as I am, though still does not shade the coop yet.