Empress Tree
Did you know?
The wood of Empress trees (Paulownia tomentosa) are used by the Japanese to make furniture, coffins, and eating utensils. Empress trees were named after the beautiful Anna Pavlova, who was the daughter of Czar Paul I and the wife of Willem I of the Netherlands.
Size
Up to 40 feet tall and wide. Very fast growth rate.
Flowers, Fruit, Foliage
Vanilla scented flowers are a pale violet color with internal yellow stripes. Fruit are non-showy brown capsules.
Pests & Diseases
None serious
Landscape Use
Parks and large natural areas in warm, humid climates
Care Practices
These trees require considerable maintenance and often do not survive in our climate. They require yearly winter pruning, full sun to part shade, and protection from wind. They can tolerate a wide variety of soils and air pollution, but are not cold hardy.
Native Range
China