Paulownia tomentosa (p.imperialis) empress tree, princess tree, foxglove tree

One of the most magnificent trees of our climate comes from East Asia and is called the Princess Tree or Empress Tree or even Foxglove Tree. Its main feature is giant leaves which can be as much as 30 cm long and wide, very hairy, pale to deep green. Thanks to them empress trees are often mistaken for catalpas.

Empress tree flowers when some 6-8 years old. The flower buds appear from end summer and take quite some to ripen – until early winter. They open in late spring into upright panicles of beautiful, fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers that are pinkish lilac on the outside and have yellow and purple marks inside. If you see a picture with blue flowers it is a computer-made forgery. The number of flowers is driven by the amount of heat and sun during summer, and partly by richness of the soil.

Empress tree grows fast and can be used as a large-leaved shrub or tree by pruning back to 2-3 buds every spring. This is the way of growing in areas with colder winters because severe frost may damage flower buds. But if you can find it a sheltered position or if you live in a zone with not so harsh frosts (6b and up) you can enjoy its flowers, too. Do not prune such plants then.

It needs deep, moist but well-drained soil, rich in humus and a sunny position. If grown for leaves use a quick-release fertilizer from spring to summer to enhance growth and to produce large leaves. If grown for flowers apply a slow-release fertilizer in spring. A few doses of selective fertilizer increasing flower growth are recommended from early to end of summer. Mature wood is hardy to -27°C (USDA zone 5b).

Last update 07-12-2008