Paulownia TOMENTOSA

Paulownia TOMENTOSA - Empress tree, Princess tree, Foxglove tree, Adam's tree.

Paulownia is a genus of woody plants in the family Paulowniaceae, originally native to China and widely distributed across various climatic zones of the Far East and Southeast Asia (Korea, Taiwan, Laos, Vietnam). In the gardens and parks of Europe and North America, Empress tree is cultivated. In natural environments in regions with cold winters it freezes back in winter, while some species are grown in the Caucasus, the Kaliningrad region, western and southern Ukraine, and the southern coast of Crimea.

Paulownias are deciduous trees characterized by fast-growing, straight trunks that reach an impressive height in a short period. The roots are powerful and deep, the crown is spreading. The smooth bark of the trunk is gray in color. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, arranged on long petioles. The large toothed leaf blade has an entire margin.

Large violet-lilac, and sometimes almost white, bell-shaped flowers form paniculate inflorescences at the ends of shoots. The fruits are hard capsules containing numerous small winged seeds.

Empress tree is a small, fast-growing subtropical tree with beautiful, large, cordate, hairy leaves, for which it is also cultivated as an ornamental foliage plant. It blooms with large flowers up to 5 cm (2 in) in size, pink-violet, fragrant, gathered in large pyramidal panicles. The flower consists of a bell-shaped five-lobed calyx, a tubular corolla with an oblique, almost two-lipped limb, four didynamous stamens, and a pistil with a short style. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous winged seeds.

In nature, it reaches no more than 4-5 m (13-16 ft) in height. In indoor culture, it can grow as a small tree or a bushy shrub. It easily adapts to a multitude of conditions. It can be grown as an indoor, greenhouse, or outdoor plant. It will survive a not very cold winter. Origin - Japan.

For better germination, seeds are pre-kept for 7-10 days on a cotton pad moistened with water containing growth stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon), then sown on the surface without burying into seedling cells with fertile soil, moistened with a spray bottle, placed in a greenhouse or covered with film, and germinated in light but not in direct sun at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Waterlogging and desiccation of the sowings must be avoided.

Sprouts appear within 5 weeks. After emergence, the film should be removed more frequently so that the plants adapt to indoor conditions and air circulation. After several leaves appear, the seedlings must be pricked out into individual pots to ensure normal development. Plants grown from seeds begin to flower in their 2nd-3rd year.

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Paulownia thrives in places with good lighting. An open space with ample sunlight should be chosen. This promotes active growth and the formation of a beautiful crown.

The plant prefers a warm climate and tolerates moderate frosts well. The optimal temperature for active growth is in the range from 20 °C to 30 °C (68-86 °F). It is important to provide the tree with protection against severe frosts, especially during cold winter months, to avoid damage to tender shoots and the root system.

It requires regular watering, especially during dry periods. The soil must be kept moist while avoiding excess moisture that could lead to root rot. It is important to consider that young plants are more sensitive to lack of moisture.

It prefers loose, well-drained soils. The soil should be enriched with organic fertilizers to support healthy growth. Excellent water drainage must be provided to avoid standing water at the roots.