NEWS (to me, anyway!) ABOUT ROYAL EMPRESS Tree (paulowina ):

I've been inquiring about the Royal Empress tree, because of its beauty, as well as the fast growth. From everything I had previously read, people had definite & divided opinions about the tree’s value. Still, I hoped that, because of its beauty and fast growth, that it wasn’t one of those "To GOOD to be TRUE" type things and hoped that the tree would not be invasive in my area. I’m also a "stickler" about FACTS. So I continued my research. I heard somewhere, that former President Jimmy Carter was helping to PROMOTE this tree. But why, I did not know.
FINALLY! I found a website that sheds a lot of light on the subject.
http://www.dragontrees.com/oscars05.html
This is the site for:
The Paulownia Tree Company
P.O. Box 417
Talmage, California 95481
E-Mail at: info@dragontrees.com
OWNER: Zoe’Anna Thies
Apparently, the tree can be invasive. But something can be done to prevent that! And IS BEING DONE BY THIS COMPANY. Zoe'Anna explains that it is a specialized process "... to reproduce the trees that assures they are sterile and non-invasive when brought into a new area. It actually starts in a laboratory with tissue cultures in a Petri dish that allows me to make an exact duplicate of the mother stock..."
I am not aware if anyone else does this or if the seeds from these Specialty trees would be invasive or not.
I have emailed Ms. Thies the questions I still have.
But I have learned:
PAULOWINA TREES are one of the most ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL TREES IN THE WORLD!
IN FORESTRY:
*A fast growing hardwood, paulownia can be commercially harvested in five to seven years.! ( Forestry trees grow 70’-80’ in 10-15 yrs. Ornamental trees grow 25'-30' in 3 years! )
*Hardwood is light_ does not warp, crack, or twist. is fire resistant, University of Texas labeled wood fire resistant due to flashpoint of 477o.
*Hardwood is used for furniture, musical instruments, doors, moldings, window frames, poles, pulp, and paper. Makes great veneer and plywood.
* MANY MORE...
('Guess these are the reasons President Carter wanted to promote the trees, huh?)
A FOOD SOURCE:
*The leaves make a nice tea &
*Flowers are edible _add to salads
*Organic honey production,: most of the honey from China comes from the Paulownia tree.
*Intercropping for food staples and specialty crops.
* Many More..

A Great Help in WASTE WATER CONTROL:
*Increased nitrogen uptake per acre.
*Erosion control.
*Waterway contamination can be significantly reduced.
*Can reduce the spread of odors.
*MANY MORE...
I know this post is probably way too long, so I’ll TRY to stop! Along with the things I’ve mentioned, there’s tons of other info at this site! Like:
**Why the Paulowina Tree Went to the Oscars!
**What Trees Have to do with PEACE!
I am just so excited about this! Even if it’s just to get for myself one non-invasive tree!
*** But, heck! I may just start
raising forest trees! Lol!
GransFun
.

As for the value of the wood. I have heard it's valuable in some other countries, and perhaps this could be an export item in the future, but I'm not aware of any great market for it here. If you find out more about this "special" tree, I'd love to hear it because there is always something new under the sun and it could be for real. But, I'm more than a little skeptical. BTW, I have four Paulownia trees myself, so I'm not prejudiced, but I'm in a northerly enough zone, they don't go invasive. In fact we only get warm enough winters once or twice a decade to get bloom.

Thanks for an interesting article.