Can you help me by either identifying this plant or advising me as to who can? A few years ago, I ordered via magazine advertisement, what was supposed to be a purple mist tree. This is what I received instead. The plant grows approximately 3 – 4 feet tall, dies off in winter, than starts the process again in the Spring, beginning at the root. Thank you for your time and trouble. Sincerely, Jackson
Once I read your reply, I did an internet search and the pictures certainly look like what I was supposed to have purchased. I believe the Paulownia Tomentosa was sold to me as an Empress Tree, apparently one of several used by retailers. The problem, mine has never grown more that 4' tall (could be the sandy soil), has never flowered, nor produced seed pods. The description of the leaf including size and texture is the convincing factor. The tree sheds it branches & leaves, and dies off to ground level during late fall to early winter leaving only the trunk(s) and starts the process all over again in the spring beginning with a new trunk. Maybe I should count my blessings. Comments on internet sites warn that this species can be very invasive in some parts of the country, sprouting not only from seeds, but also from the roots of the main tree. So far I have not had this problem in Michigan but, Could this be due soil conditions? I wonder now if I should attempt to get rid of the tree. It was said that some have tried and find it a near impossibility.
These typically die back each year when young, for several years even here in western USDA 8. However, where you are it may never get beyond this phase, the winters being too cold. There is also the problem of the over-wintering flower buds freezing some years, so that flowering is incomplete or entirely absent after this happens - in addition the pale flowers tend not to show well except where the tree is viewed from above. Where the tree does do well it produces a large, messy and shady specimen, too rank- and coarse-growing for normal situations. And as you have said some parts of the US have problems with it seeding out into the general landscape.
That makes more sense. As long as it dies down every year, the leaves will get impressively huge (and nicely fuzzy) but it won't flower, so you don't have to be afraid of it popping up everywhere. Four feet sounds like a nice height to have in an arrangement. Here in Stanley Park, the ones that get cut down every year get to around 12 feet. There was a Parks Board tree near the entrance to the Stanley Park Pitch and Putt that I'm missing this year, so they've managed somehow to get rid of it, maybe with heavier equipment than you have.
