Paulownia tomentosa
Empress tree
Common names: Princess tree, Paulownia tree, Bluebell tree
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Hardy with protection
- Pruning
- Feb–Mar
- Flowering
- May
Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT · CC BY 2.5 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Bluebell tree, botanically Paulownia tomentosa, originates from China and is one of the fastest-growing deciduous trees. In May, around weeks 18 to 20, large violet bell-shaped flowers appear before leaf-out, emitting a strong fragrance that attracts bees. The heart‑shaped leaves can reach impressive sizes, especially on young, heavily trimmed plants. Because of its rapid growth and prolific self‑seeding, the Bluebell tree is considered invasive in parts of Europe; it should therefore be planted only where runners and seedlings can be monitored, and away from wild areas or water bodies.
Care instructions
Provide the Bluebell tree ample space and full sun, as it grows vigorously each year and can add several meters in a single season. In the first years, regular watering, particularly during dry summer weeks, helps it establish. Older trees tolerate most sites well. A late‑winter pruning, around the end of February to early March (weeks 9 to 10), keeps the crown compact and encourages large, decorative leaves when the tree is supported on a stake. Consistently remove root runners and nearby seedlings to prevent uncontrolled spread. In mild winters, simple winter protection for young trees is usually sufficient; in harsher climates, a thicker mulch layer over the root plate is advisable.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringMay
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, loamy, nutrient-rich, dry
The foxglove tree likes deep, loose soil that drains water well, because it cannot tolerate waterlogging at all. It copes with poor as well as nutrient-rich sites, as long as the subsoil does not stay permanently wet. A sunny, wind-sheltered spot with some distance from paths and buildings pays off, because the large leaves cast a lot of shade as they fall.
Feeding
Medium feeder
Months
Apr, Jun
In spring the foxglove tree appreciates a dose of mature compost, worked in shallowly around the root zone. A second, light dose of compost in early summer supports the vigorous growth of the young shoots. It needs no more than that, because overly generous feeding makes the shoots soft and prone to frost damage.
Pruning
In the first few years, formative pruning in late winter is worthwhile to build a stable crown with a clear central leader. If you would rather keep the tree shrub-like than as a small tree, you can cut it back to near ground level every year; it then regrows in summer with particularly large leaves. Always prune before new growth so that the wounds heal quickly.
Overwintering
Young trees are frost-tender in their first winters and appreciate a thick layer of mulch over the root zone. In hard frost the shoot tips sometimes die back, but they usually regrow reliably from the base in spring. Older, established specimens cope well with German winters without special protection.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Cuttings
- Runners
The easiest way to propagate it is from root cuttings, which are taken from the root zone in winter and laid flat in seed compost in spring. Sowing is also possible; the fine seeds need light to germinate and a lot of patience until the first flowering. If you find a young side shoot at the base, you can separate it together with its roots and replant it directly. Raising plants works best in a warm, bright cold frame.
For your garden
Grow Empress tree yourself
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