Paulownia is a genus species of flowering plants in the family Paulowniaceae. Its largest presence is in Asia, and specifically it is mostly cultivated in China, Vietnam, Laos, Japan and Korea. The genus was named in honor of Anna Paulowna, Queen consort of The Netherlands (1795-1865).
An early colonizer of sterile soils is what best describes Paulownia, because its seeds are easily killed off by soil fungi. Plantations are difficult to start by seeds, and successful by seedlings. Paulownia’s mature trees are so susceptible to rot, the wood not vulnerable to be so. Paulownia’s mature trees are so susceptible to rot, the wood not vulnerable to be so.
Most famous two species
Paulownia Elongata, is an ornamental tree which is cultivated to be set in parks and gardens. The reason behind selecting this species for decoration is its purple flowers and shade tolerance. Elongata produces large quantity of biomass, which is why it is also considered as a biofuel feedstock.
Paulownia Tomentosa, a native to central and western China. An extremely fast-growing tree, it also tends to grow very quickly in North America. Tomentosa grows 10-25m tall, with large wide leaves 15-40cm across. This tree can survive wildfire, because its roots can regenerate very fast-growing new stems.
Paulownia is famously used for its wood, as it’s very light, fine-grained, and warp-resistant. It is considered the fastest-growing hardwood and is used in the manufacture of chests, boxes, and clogs. Paulownia wood is also burned to make charcoal for sketching and powder for fireworks. It is also known to be used for boat building and surfboards due to its high level of water resistance.