Is Empress (Paulownia) invasive?

There are many common misconceptions that exist about the Empress (Paulownia) tree. Mostly, the information one finds on the internet has not differentiated between the species within the genus Paulownia, and there are many...but only one is "considered" invasive. This single species has painted the entirety of the genus into the corner of being labeled as "invasive." This individual species (Paulownia tomentosa) gets all the attention, while the other species are assumed to be of the same traits. This is an incorrect assumption and needs to be brought to light.
In this quick 10 minutes long video, Dr. Cathy Key clearly explains how the other Paulownia species (ie. fortunei, elongata, etc...) are NOT like the tomentosa, and how incredibly beneficial this tree truly is.
Let us know what you think in the comments!
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[@billgateskilledmyuncle23]

I am glad to hear someone finally make the very points that I had thought of myself anytime I read how about how sinister the tomentosa is. I have seen one of these that actually grew up out in the woods and it is completely surrounded by tulip poplars and sycamores, and cannot compete with them for sunlight. It has no chance against them. Also I have a 9 year old tomentosa in my backyard and after all the millions of seeds that thing has released over the years, I had one sapling to pop up underneath the porch. That is it. I have yet to see any saplings anywhere else in the yard. My silver maple on the other hand, every Spring there are thousands of them getting hit by the lawnmower. Also bradford pears take over all of the fence rows and they are guaranteed to collapse under their own weight once mature, and yet nobody seems bothered by them. I almost think the Paulownia gets attacked because the lumber industry fears them replacing their trees. If they were smart they would start growing their own.

[@alexfunk2047]

The one under your porch may very well have come up from a root, not a seed.

[@reensure]

We had two very large specimens of the Tomentosa in the 1960s astride the main walk to our elementary school that was built in the 1920s. The trees were huge, well into the second story of our two story school building and therefore at minimum 25'. The trunks were gnarly and grotesque, but the flowers were gorgeous and flooded with delicious nectar (tasty, hope they weren't toxic, gee). School and trees have been gone since the 1970s. The only other local species I've seen in the Virginias were neither so old, nor so large. I never viewed them as particularly invasive, either. Thanks for your documentation.

[@alexfunk2047]

The flowers are indeed edible. So are the leaves, but not tasty!

[@thebarefootyeti912]

I have "fortunei" in my garden here in UK. Now entering second summer. Ended last year as a 5!0" high bare trunk, which was 2" thick. It emerged again 4 weeks ago, is now in full leaf up to 8'0". The leaves are magnificent; about 2' across already. They're like elephant ears. I'm in SE of England an get a lot of sunshine hours. It is in full sun. I'll not prune it until it's had two full seasons and as a fast grower you never stake it above knee high as it'll grow to weak. How you prune dictates what you get...flowers or big leaves.

[@Baubles707]

very helpful tyvm, reason i’m looking this up is because i actually found one in my local woods. i haven’t walked the paths i found it on in maybe 3 months, and within this time it’s like 8-10 feet so it stunned me!

[@vineleak7676]

Paulownia does not seem to spread in the countryside but in Urban environments they are vey much invasive, in central Europe they grow everywhere on between walls and sidewalk and in cracks in the asphalt, on old parking lots etc... I see some everyday deforming asphalt as they grow... In a very similar fashion than Ailanthus

[@tibistibi]

i live in europa but have never seen this. would be cool though if it would do it :)

[@xR1no]

I live in Austria near the border to Germany and Switzerland and since September 1st Tomentosa has been banned from import in Switzerland because of its invasiveness. If Tomentosa is indeed invasive, which other Paulownia would be a good alternative?

[@dicksyphilis3914]

I’ve never seen evidence of invasiveness either. I look for it here and in surrounding states. In central Indiana they are hard to keep alive. It’s too hot and dry here. They thrive in high moisture and partial shade, as do most trees. Trees depend on other trees to survive, by having shelter from the drying effect of the sun, until a root system is in place.

[@PsychicIsaacs]

It depends on your climate as well. P. tomentosa does NOT go out of control in semi-arid climates, for example. It is an enormously useful, hardy shade tree in such climates. I live in North Central Victoria, Australia, and planted a number of Paulownia suckers in 2019 and 2020. They are only just beginning to establish root systems in the last 2 years or so, and some are still only 3 feet tall! But the ones that are established, 12 to 15 feet tall, are producing welcome shade and providing understorey habitat for useful plants, such as potatoes. Me cultivating my potatoes is causing them to sucker (it disturbs the Paulownia's root system) but that's okay, as it provides me with propagation stock that I can transplant elsewhere on my 20-acre farm!

[@coleymoke6709]

Is the variety that IS invasive called the "Royal Empress" tree?

[@mountainman3196]

There are thousands growing along rivers in eastern Pennsylvania, they are spreading everywhere.

[@quesodillanocheese6198]

Maryland and Virginia too. They spread like wildfire along roadways, railways, and recently developed areas. Then they slowly spread into natural areas.

[@coleymoke6709]

Does that mean that they are a blessing or a curse? (I am thinking about planting one for a friend who has ALS.)

[@patrickmsendema4982]

Awesome. Where can I get the seeds?

[@SoNoFTheMoSt]

I cant imagine using tissue cultures is good for the genetic diversity for the species and could probably lead to specific pests and diseases later down the road.

[@mahmudulhassan2237]

many many thanks for informative video

[@DobymMayor]

Olá ! Se for possível gostaria de saber porque a minha Paulownia tem todas as características , más suas flores são rosa e em forma de Buquê ! Gratidão ! Namastê !

[@dickjohnson6573]

Is the empress tree invasive..??? Yes. But, its benefits outweight the problems. Don't plant near foundations or sewage drain fields.

[@buckwylde7965]

I have been trying to grow Empress tree from seed in Western Washington State for years with no luck. I have collected the pods from different trees, mail ordered them and have tried all the methods I could find. I have looked for reproduction around mature trees and find none with even suckering rare. The Empress tree grows quite well here as do most temperate trees. There are no naturized invasive trees here in the Pacific Northwest, or at least none that don't depend on human disturbance for their long term survival, so I don't think I am creating a monster. Here, a tree has to get big, fast like the natives do, or it will be shaded out. Some trees, like White Poplar and Black Locust are branded as invasive but this is temporary as they are over topped by the natives in 20-30 years and die. For some reason P. Tomentosa just does not reproduce here.

[@treelife365]

It's strange that you were unable to get any of the seeds from P. tomentosa to germinate! Did you try the "water on windowsill" germination method? The seeds germinate well when this is done to them, and if you wait until you can see leaves and use tweezers to plant them into soil, they do well. If you simply spread the seeds that are starting to show root, onto soil, then very few will make it to tree stage (but if this is done onto soil that has a clear cover or mini greenhouse, then so many will make it!).

[@buckwylde7965]

@@treelife365 Yep, tried the water on window sill several times, with and without distilled water. Finally bought a P. Tomentosa online and it is growing crazy. Who knows? As my horticulture prof used to say when he could not answer a question " I have to refer you to a higher authority" as he pointed a figure skyward

[@laurak4300]

I currently have one full grown Polowina on my property. We just bought it last year. I was shocked when I saw we had one. I live in WNC. I harvested seeds from it last fall and I currently have over 300 of them growing in my greenhouse. It look me 3 tries to get the soil, water, and lighy right. They are not easy to grow. As far as they are invasive. I have only seen the one large tree for acres around. It's so beautiful when it blooms in the spring.

[@b_uppy]

Sometimes a plant may several specific processes in a row. Did you ever look up how to do it or did you rely on guess work?

[@buckwylde7965]

@@b_uppy Nope, researched and tried every method I could find. I also looked for and could not find any form of natural reproducing around the different trees that I collected seeds from, including suckering. It's one of things, like how Kentucky Blue Grass looks great for a few years here in the Pacific Northwest and then dies. Nobody knows why. Perpetual Rye is the go to lawn grass here. Empress Trees grow like crazy here, they just don't make more of themselves.

[@gloriakoomson2454]

I enjoyed listening to your informative presentation. Where can l get quality seeds to buy ?

[@sharimc72]

I've never heard of or seen one until a few started mysteriously growing in my old pond out back. I let them go to see what they'd become, thinking at first it was just a weed!

[@b_uppy]

I think people deliberately propagate many plants in odd places, then the plants get erroneously blamed as invasives. A lot of Karens then assume they're 'invasive'. Think the Karen's are the invasives...

[@Fuckpeople999]

Exactly, and it’s how they think just because something is invasive that it is “bad” some (not all) invasive species are ecologically unfavorable, most people often talk about invasives as they talk about illegal immigrants, “because they’re not welcome there they must be bad” mentality and it’s a very dangerous one, there’s no denying that some invasive species cause great ecological damage but some studies showed that invasives are better at sequestering carbon from the air and putting back into the ground, and if people are destroying “invasive” plants that technically would make them non native and not invasive cause invasive would assume that they have no natural predators but humans would fundamentally become their predators by destroying them, and it’s kinda hypocritical that humans speak of invasives when humans themselves are invasive species, and non of them would be here if our ancestors hadn’t brought them here, so human interference is what caused this and now human interference is how we “solve it”, people cling onto getting ecosystems back to some ideal way it was 100,000 years ago and it’s not possible, the world is subjected to constant change, moderation is key. I will still grow invasives and I don’t care what anyone thinks some of them aren’t all harmful, like the tree of heaven, they help the cycle of pioneering as their some of the only extremaphiles that can inhabit such poor disturbed sights, I see them growing out of landfills here in Texas, and they’re absolutely gorgeous.

[@DaunLedford]

The seads I got brown and a little fuzzy on the edge?

[@DaunLedford]

Are they empress tree??

[@nicolebon-servant429]

En France il n'y a, pour l'instant, qu'une espèce de Paulownia controversée mais pas interdite car en examen, c'est le Paulownia Tomentosa

[@emmachadwick-pyne997]

I am considering planting this tree in an oversized pot in my small back garden. I am just wondering if the tree drops seed will I have more trees growing throughout my small lawn? I really only have space for 1 tree!

[@alexfunk2047]

Not much risk from seeds, but it will burst the pot before very long.

[@emmachadwick-pyne997]

@@alexfunk2047 thanks for your reply. ive decided to pot a cherry blossom instead!

[@CSWRB]

Deer love to eat the seedlings. They don’t get a chance to grow because deer eat them down constantly.

[@DobymMayor]

As sementes vem de dentro da flor , são diferentes desta.

[@harleycarpenter1856]

Are the seeds or leaves harmful to animals such as horses or cattle?

[@treelife365]

The seeds are very tiny... no bigger than the head of a pin. If you're talking about the seed pods, however, no, I have not heard that!

[@arborescentumpaulownia]

Leaves provide over 20% protein for fodder. Seeds are infertil and useless.

[@b_uppy]

Actually I know at least some varieties are planted in cattle pastures in Japan because the leaves are high protein and retain their palatbility after falling. Their roots avoid the grass' rootzone so you are making better use of your soil. Make sure horses, donkeys and males have zero access to them. The protein content is 16% and could cause them to founder.

[@tfortreesinternational3739]

On the contrary they rich in nutrients for livestock Fodder.

[@gomesowago9162]

I'm going trees in malawi and this was very helpful

[@kupukaimuseka4334]

How is your paulownia growing? Planting 5ha in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼

[@blooky102]

If this tree lived in North America but died out and then was reintroduced then its reintroduced to former native ranges not invasive.

[@reecewearing9078]

A plant may be considered native or non-native, and invasive or non-invasive. A tree may be native and also invasive if it tends to crowd out other plants in an ecosystem. For example, sugar maples are native to the Chicago Region, yet they are considered invasive in oak-hickory savannas of this area since they tend to shade out native grasses and oak saplings in the absence of seasonal fires.

[@monicaross4013]

@@reecewearing9078 so then maybe it's the humans who are invasive haha

[@hangingthief71]

where i live paulowina is an emerging invasive species that threatens to shade out endangered grasslands

[@omega4chimp]

Plant this tree in Poland.

[@SoNoFTheMoSt]

Thankfully in England what we call a sycamore (acer pseudoplatanus) is more invasive than Norway maple which has been planted by every local council across the country lol.

[@sea_bass21]

This makes me mad. Another lie from the government. Trying to quell a beautiful tree!

[@reecewearing9078]

Her argument for the non-invasiveness of the princess tree was based on government research...

[@sea_bass21]

@@reecewearing9078 I still don't like it