princesstree	USDA PLANTS Symbol: PATO2 U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Hardwood Trees
Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Sieb. & Zucc. ex Steud.

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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Scrophulariales: Scrophulariaceae
Synonym(s): princess tree, royal paulownia, royal empresstree
Native Range: China (REHD);
Princesstree is a deciduous tree that grows to 60 ft. (18.3 m) in height and 2 ft. (0.6 m) in diameter. Leaves are opposite, 6 to 12 in. (15.2-30.5 cm) long, heart-shaped (sometimes with three shallow lobes) and hairy on the underside. Flowering occurs in the spring, when showy, 1.5-2 in. (3.7-5 cm) long, tubular, pale-violet flowers develop in upright clusters. The pecan-shaped fruits occur in terminal clusters and split to release thousands of seeds. The thin, fruit capsules persist well into winter. Princesstree usually invades roadsides, stream banks, forest edges and other disturbed areas, but has the ability to invade a wide variety of places. Once established, it is difficult to remove due to prolific seed production and its ability to resprout vigorously. It is native to eastern Asia and was first introduced into North America in the early 1800s for ornamental purposes and as a potential export for carving wood.

Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources

Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual - SE-EPPC
Invasive Plant Atlas of New England - University of Connecticut
Fact Sheet - Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
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 Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Flower(s); 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 Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Feature(s); immature fruit cluster and leaves in June James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Stand; Planted stand Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); Plantation in Irwin county, Georgia. September. Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Bark; Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Plant(s); Growing out of a crack in a roadcut Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Tree(s); Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Seedling(s); Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Foliage; June James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Fruit(s); June 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 Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Seed(s); David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Seedling(s); David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Foliage; Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Foliage; with hat for scale Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Foliage; on a car hood Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, , Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Flower(s); 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 PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Control; Nancy Fraley, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Foliage; Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Foliage; Velvety underside of Paulownia leaf Annemarie Smith, ODNR Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Foliage; 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	Flower(s); 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	Flower(s); 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	Flower(s); 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	Flower(s); 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	Flower(s); 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	Fruit(s); 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	Fruit(s); in March James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

EDDMapS Distribution:
This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org