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Posted: Aug/16/2005 1:34 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by 4rum Tree has also just made invasive species list. I have dug and transplanted several. They have an ENORMOUS tap root. The do grow very quickly and are valuable as timber for that reason, (can be harvested in a much shorter time than traditional hardwoods OR softwoods). The blossom is very pretty, light purple, and very early. It blooms in clusters near the end of the branch. The first couple of years the leaves are very large. Can grow to 40, 50 or 60 feet so plan spacing wisely.Wasn't aware of its inclusion in Invasive lists, tho i can see it happening. I wouldn't classify it as invasive in our climate. It is pretty much restriced to well drained sandy or gravely soils. Often is a pioneer species on highway cut and fill slopes where bare soil is exposed but peters out if it is clayey. The seed is a samara, small, light and winged and will blow a long ways. It does require exposed mineral soil to germinate so is somewhat limited to disturbed areas to get a leg hold. Pawlonia, or coffeewood buyers as they're called here, often fly the mountians here when the trees are in bloom and map the locations of individual trees. They then try to identify the landowners to contact to buy the trees. Gary's comment about tree rustlers is true. I have heard of trees disappearing overnight on large old estates in the eastern Pennsylvania area. The favorite method of one group was to fell the trees in to rivers, cut the tops off and float the logs down stream for later pick up. Don't know if they ever were caught or not. To give you an idea of value... I recently sold a tract of sawtimber that was maybe 40% walnut. It sold for $700 per thousand board feet on the stump (thats 70 cents per board foot). A pretty good price for walnut. Pawlonia sells for a minimum of $3 per board foot on the stump.... and thats for crappola trees. So it is very valuable and is being grown in plantations much like pines are. The market in the US for pawlonia as timber was reputedlyt pioneered by a sawmill operator from Grandpoppa's neck of the woods no less. An interesting little tidbit of local lore. Will it survive in Montana... I can't really say. I do know that very fast growing juvenile trees often lose half their height growth in a given year to winter kill in our area(zone 6). I have seen pawlonia growing at about 2500 feet in elvation on highway cuts here... pretty much a zone 5 winter. Gary mentions rustling in Boston... Zone 5 or 4? That may give you some indication. One of the comon names for Pawlonia is princess tree.... a little interesting lore associated with that too. Any one out there know why? |
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Posted: Aug/16/2005 1:06 AM PST
Yes, granpoppa, I know Stuarts Draft. I live outside of Mt. Crawford at Friedens Church. Lived in Staunton for a couple of years when I was a young forester with Department of Forestry. In fact in that capacity I drew up forestation plan for Hershey plant and also did some wildlife habitat planning with Dupont on their farm south of Waynesboro. |
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Posted: Aug/15/2005 10:49 PM PST
Treeman, In what part of the valley are you? I'm in Stuarts Draft, near Waynesboro and Staunton. |
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Posted: Aug/13/2005 5:37 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by Hoeandhope Anyone out there have a Paulownia Tree? I purchased one off of ebay. It was about 1 foot tall. It has already put on 2 more sets of leaves and the leaves are getting bigger. The literature on it says it will grow 10-15 feet in one year. They have purple flowers in the spring. Any info about it would help.  Glad you asked this question. We ordered one a few weeks ago, but it won't be shipped 'till spring. As I am in Montana we wondered how well it would do here, guess we'll find out  Treeman.... thanks for all the info on it. Can you tell us more? Do the birds like it? Do you think it will make it in Montana. I am in zone 4. |
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Posted: Aug/11/2005 12:56 PM PST
Tradition has it that when a baby daughter was born in Japan, the family would plant a Paulownia Tree and by the time she was ready for marriage they would build a wedding/hope chest for her. Some time ago, I read that there were quite a number of Paulownia Trees growing in the Parks of Boston. Tree rustlers would go in a cut the Paulownia Trees down and have them on board ship before dawn. The Park System cut what they had left down. Gary/Louisville |
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Posted: Aug/12/2005 5:25 AM PST
I wish I had known that when the children were born; maybe I'll plant some for the grandchildren if I get the opportunity. |
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Posted: Jul/27/2005 3:58 AM PST
Thanks fellows. My backyard is treeless and I need something quick for shade. I do have sandy soil and my little tree seems to like where I planted it. Just hope it can survive this heat. I have three more on the way. My backyard is 130 x 130 so I think I have enough room for them. |
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Posted: Jul/24/2005 6:06 PM PST
Anyone out there have a Paulownia Tree? I purchased one off of ebay. It was about 1 foot tall. It has already put on 2 more sets of leaves and the leaves are getting bigger. The literature on it says it will grow 10-15 feet in one year. They have purple flowers in the spring. Any info about it would help.
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Posted: Jul/24/2005 8:42 PM PST
Pawlonia trees, AKA Princess Tree, Paradice Tree etc., are very fast growers, once established. In the right situation, 10-15 feet per year for juvenile growth are certainly possible. They like, sandy soils. Other soils will do if well drained. Once started they need little attention except for prunning to train into single leader and remove low hanging branches. In climes cooler than yours freeze out of half the new growth in any one year is often a problem. There is much interesting lore about the Pawlonia. It is a native of Japan where its wood is prized for traditional ceremonial keep chests. Its wood is quite fire resistant. When exposed to flame it will char on the outside then go out. In early Japan where light wood, and paper construction was common, village conflagerations were common. Chests made of pawlonia were used to sore valuables and heirlooms, thus offering protection from fire. Today of course the practice of using pawlonia for keep chests is largely traditional rather than practical, but none the less is still popular. The wood is also reputed to be used for soles for clogs in that country too. The supply of the wood in Japan is apparently scarce because pawlonia has a great deal of value as a timber tree (called coffee wood in the industry) for export to Japan. Values far exceed walnut and cherry and theft of large specimen landscape trees is a threat. Perhaps the finest examples of Pawlonia can be seen at Longwood Gardens where they line the old entry drive to the Dupont Estate. Very, very impressive and well worth the price of admission in themselves. |
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