princesstree
Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Sieb. & Zucc. ex Steud.
Description from Invasive.org
- Appearance
- Paulownia tomentosa is a medium sized tree (50-60 ft. [15.2-18.3 m] in height and 2 ft. [0.6 m] in diameter) that can commonly be mistaken for the native tree northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa). Bark is gray-brown and rough, often developing lighter-colored shallow vertical fissures.
- Foliage
- Leaves are large, broadly oval to heart-shaped (6-12 in. [15.2-30.5 cm] long, 5-9 in. [12.7-22.8 cm] wide) and arranged opposite along the stem, hairy on both surfaces. Petioles are also hairy and can be sticky when young. Leaves growing off root sprouts have been measured up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) in length. Twigs are stout, brown, and speckled with white dots (lenticels). They can be slightly hairy when young. Lateral leaf scars are somewhat round, becoming darker and sunken. The pith is chambered or sometimes hollow.
- Flowers
- Large flowers (2 in. [5.1 cm] long) are fragrant and light violet-pink, appearing in showy upright clusters (8-12 in. [20.3-30.5 cm] in length) in early spring (April-May) before leaves emerge. They have tubular corollas, ending in 5 unequal lobes. Flower buds are hairy and linear, becoming round.
- Fruit
- Fruits (1-2 in. [2.5-5.1 cm] long, 1-1.5 in. [2.5-3.8 cm] wide) are egg-shaped capsules, divided into 4 inner compartments that contain the seeds. Fruits are light green in the summer, becoming dark brown in the winter, and persist in clusters on the tree until the following spring. The capsules split in half during late winter to release up to 2000 tiny winged, wind-borne seeds 0.08-0.12 in. (2-3 mm).
- Ecological Threat
- Paulownia tomentosa is an aggressive tree that invades disturbed natural areas including forests, roadsides, and stream banks. It is native to China and was first introduced into the United States as an ornamental in 1840.
Resources
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service
- Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - SE-EPPC
- Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas - Plant Conservation Alliance
- Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Selected Images from Invasive.org
View All Images at Invasive.org
Flower(s)
James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org
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James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Feature(s) flowering mature tree located in Auburn University Arboretum in April
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Feature(s) immature fruit cluster and leaves in June
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Stand Planted stand
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
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Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
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Tree(s) Plantation in Irwin county, Georgia. September.
Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s) Growing out of a crack in a roadcut
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
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Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
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Fruit(s) June
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) June
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
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Seedling(s)
David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
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Tree(s)
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Foliage
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Foliage with hat for scale
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Foliage on a car hood
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry , , Bugwood.org
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Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Plant(s) Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 3: 189.
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database , USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database , USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org
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Foliage Velvety underside of Paulownia leaf
Annemarie Smith, ODNR Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org
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Annemarie Smith, ODNR Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org
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Foliage
Annemarie Smith, ODNR Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org
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Annemarie Smith, ODNR Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Bark
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Bark
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s) in March
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Additional Resolutions & Image Usage