Princess Tree (Paulownia Tomentosa) seeds (#30)

Fastest Growing Shade Tree! Fast growing and able to establish itself in nearly any landscape situation, princesstree is breathtaking in spring when it is filled with fragrant, lavender and white flowers. A clumsy, widely-crowned deciduous tree from China, it produces copious amounts of leaf litter and seeds, increasing its ability to become invasive in many situations. Often it may be regarded as a "weedy tree" although stunning when in flower.
In mid-spring, the tree's branch tips are filled with an upright, moppy cluster of small, trumpet-like flowers with five lobes. Colored lavender to lilac-purple, the throats of each blossom is a lighter shade, even pure white with yellow streaks. They smell of vanilla. As the flowering show ends, the large heart-shaped leaves emerge, sometimes having small lobes. In summer these leaves are shed on an ongoing basis, and the persistent tan fruits develop on the branch tips, eventually splitted and each releasing hundreds of seeds. There is no fall color on the princesstree. In winter the shallowly fisssured dark gray-brown bark is noticed, as are the muscular, heavy, horizontal branches. It is weak wooded and shallow rooted.
Grow princesstree in full sun in nearly any soil type that is not waterlogged. It is best grown in deep, moist but well-draining soils and certainly protected from winds. Bitter winter cold can destroy flower buds and too warm of winters will lead to bud drop. Grow it in lawns where the flower and leaf litter is not annoying and the shallow root system is not troubling. It casts dense shade as well and does not create a setting for a garden underplanting.
Investigate if this tree is regarded as an invasive that is not to be planted in your region. In many temperate areas outside its native China it has escaped cultivation and can be seen in waste areas, abandoned building sites and common roadside verges.

Genus - Paulownia
Species - Tomentosa
Common name - Princess Tree
Pre-Treatment - Not-required
Hardiness zones - 6 - 8
Height - 40'-70' / 12 - 21 m
Spread - 30'-50' / 9 - 15 m
Plant type - Tree
Vegetation type - Ornamental deciduous
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth rate - Fast
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Clay, laom, Sand, well drained
Water requirements - Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Landscape uses - Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical, Vine
Bloom season - Spring, late spring
Leaf / Flower color - Green / White, Purple, Lavender

GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
Germination is quick and easy, but it is necessary to create the right conditions for it.
1. Lots of light. Use artificial 6500K lighting for this. Lighting time - ~ 18 hours a day.
2. Heat. For germination is best stable +22- +24C temperature. It must not change at night or during the day. If possible, use heated propagators.
3. Moisture. The seeds cannot dry out. They must be kept moist and in good contact with the ground at all times.
SOWING. Use only clean seed sowing substrate. It can be purchased at any major supermarket.
Moisten it. Sow on the ground, press them by hand or with a sprayer. Germination requires light, so do not cover the seeds.
Cover the nursery with a clear film or nursery lid. Check periodically, if necessary moisten. When the seeds germinate, remove the cover.