Description
Paulownia tomentosa – Empress Tree
Short description: The Empress Tree from China offers one of the most spectacular spring displays a tree can provide: In April and May – even before the huge, heart-shaped foliage emerges – the crown is covered with thousands of fragrant, lilac-purple flower panicles. The large-scale foliage casts a dense, tropical-looking shade in summer. As a fast-growing specimen tree for warm gardens, it is an extraordinary choice.
- Deep-rooted
- Slightly toxic fruits
- Hardy after 3 years
- Grows up to 15 m high
- Plantation tree
- Highly drought and heat tolerant
- Resistant to pests
- Low-maintenance plant, annual growth approx. 40 cm
Climatic characteristics & site conditions: The Empress Tree is hardy down to approx. –15 to –20 °C – however, the flower buds are damaged at –5 to –10 °C, which is why the floral display depends heavily on mild winters. In the mildest regions of Southern Germany – Kaiserstuhl, Markgräflerland, Lake Constance region, Stuttgart basin – it blooms reliably. It prefers warm, sunny, and sheltered locations with well-drained, nutrient-rich soils. It avoids waterlogging.
Advantages: Spectacular fragrant spring bloom, very fast growth, exotic appearance, extensive summer shade, reliable in warm locations.
Disadvantages: Flower buds sensitive to frost – no reliable blooming in harsh locations, foliage sensitive to wind, non-native, no ecological value for native fauna, does not tolerate waterlogging, can become invasive in mild locations.
