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Conservation Science

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Princess Tree - Paulownia tomentosa


 

Princess Tree occurs throughout North Carolina and is often see along roadsides.  It is on the worst pest list for The Nature Conservancy's North Carolina mountain  region.

Princess tree grows aggressively in disturbed natural areas, including forests, streambanks, and steep rocky slopes. It tolerates infertile and acid soils and drought conditions. It easily adapts to disturbed habitats, including previously burned areas, forests defoliated by pests (such as the gypsy moth) and landslides and can colonize rocky cliffs and scoured riparian zones where it may compete with rare plants in these marginal habitats. Its ability to sprout prolifically from adventitious buds on stems and roots allows it to survive fire, cutting, and even bulldozing in construction areas. 

The deciduous paulownia tree may quickly reach 60 feet in height. The bark is rough, gray-brown, and interlaced with shiny, smooth areas.  Stems are hairy and flattened at the nodes. The paired leaves are large and generally heart shaped or shallowly three-lobed. They feel velvety and are noticeably hairy on the lower surfaces.  Showy clusters of  fragrant, pale violet flowers open in the spring. The fruit is a dry brown capsule with four compartments that may contain several thousand tiny winged seeds. Capsules mature in autumn when they open to release the seeds and then remain attached all winter, providing a handy identification aid.