Specimen Tree: Paulownia or Empress Tree

[skid]

I recently did some rockwork in my front yard, and built an area specifically for a specimen tree that will be the focal point of my front yard and home. I was trying to decide on a tree for this location and had come up with a few options for my PNW area.

My choices were flowering cherry, japanese maple, flowering dogwood, magnolia, tulip tree, and maybe golden locust.

I happened to be going through the garden center at the local hardware store and saw a few empress trees. Not being familiar with the tree, I went home and did an internet search.

What I found is a fast growing tree that has large leaves when small, along with large lavender blossoms with jasmine fragrance.

The tree is reknowned for quick growth; With optimum conditions it can reafch 30 feet in 3-4 years. The tree can eventually reach very large proportions, up to 80 feet tall. This is desirable to me as I can use the summer shade, and it won't look out of place with all the other large trees around my home.

Anyways, I brought one home and will plant it when it stops raining... From what I've read, it should grow 5-10 feet this year...

I'll take a picture when I plant it.

[Saul Mine]

You get lovely pictures if you search for royal powlonia. I have seen one before. I was told they usually break in a wind storm but the trunk is not solid enough to cause much damage. You just cut it off and get it out of the way, and it will be fifty feet tall again in a few years.

[skid]

I was told they usually break in a wind storm but the trunk is not solid enough to cause much damage. You just cut it off and get it out of the way, and it will be fifty feet tall again in a few years.


Lucky for me I'm in a sheltered location, but even if the trunk isn't "solid", I would still expect a large tree to cause major damage if it fell on a house. I may have to some more research...

[skid]

It appears the wood is light weight, but strong. From http://www.paulownianow.org/index_archivos/lumber.htm

Paulownia wood is a hardwood, it is light in both color and weight. It's appearance closely resembles American Ash. Physically, it ranks between balsa and poplar for hardness. The wood is extremely easy to machine and finish. It is dimensionally stable to a fault, does not crack or warp, and will take on and release moisture without damage.

Although the wood is light, it is extremely strong and will not crack or split, even when spikes or nails are driven through. Paulownia has good properties of sound insulation and heat insulation. The lumber widely be used to make excellent furniture, decorative moldings, constructions, siding and laminated beams.

Light Weight: At only 18 lbs p/cubic ft . Paulownia wood is lighter than oak ( 44 lbs p/cubic ft) and pine ( 30 lbs p/cubic ft)

Fire Resistant: Ignition temperature app. 425 deg C (Average softwood: 257 deg C. Average hardwood: 223 deg. C)

Easily dried in short time with less drying defects. Kiln dries in 24-48 hours. Air dries in 30-60 days with no fear of warping, cracking or splitting.

Porosity: 75-88%, Loblolly pine 62%, Aspen 73%, Yellow Poplar 71%

Highly durable/decay resistance under non-ground contact conditions.

Chemical Composition: Cellulose 46-49%, Hemicellulose Pentozan 22-25% Lignin 21-23%

Density 10 moisture content 17.91

Specific Gravity 0.265(The density is 0.26 -0.33g /cm3)

[skid]

Couple of Pic's:

The tree (stick) is just behind the tulips. Supposedly it should grow 5 feet this year. I dug an extra deep hole and enriched the soil with bone meal, rock dust, peat moss, and a mineral formula i concocted earlier this year.

[skid]

This is where it is in relation to the house. Basically the focal point landscaping feature.

[skid]

This tree has grown quite a bit in the last 4.5 months compared to the pictures when it was first planted. I'm looking forward to next spring when the tree will be loaded with fragrant lavendar flowers. In another 4 years or so this tree should be 30 ft tall with a fairly thick trunk, and will look like it has been there for 20 years.

Too bad I have to edit the pictures so much to get them to fit in the forum software...

[zap]

You have a beautiful roof Skid, nice tree too.

[skid]

Another pic

[StackerKen]

You have a beautiful roof Skid, nice tree too.


Yeah, Really nice roof and house and yard...and tree

[Saul Mine]

Well, the name seems to apply to several different plants. The one I was introduced to looked more like a monster cattail. The name I was told was Royal Pollonius (guessing at spelling).

[gunDriller]

http://gold-silver.us/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2338.0;attach=3725 ;image

yeah, nice tree & nice home in the forest !

i like Catalpa trees. they have humongous leaves which earthworms f'ing love for compost. so they make a good shade tree once they get big -

http://www.icteachers.co.uk/photos/photos5/catalpa.jpg

the seeds probably look familiar -
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Northern_Catalpa_beanpods.jpg/250px-Northern_Catalpa_beanpods.jpg