Not sure how well it does in CO, but in Illinois it was a pain. It grew extremely big, very fast and was weak wooded, messy, and short lived. Very susceptible to storm damage. The flowers turn into woody "pac-man" pods that make a mess everywhere. People would tire of the maintenance and cut huge trees to the ground, but they would just grow right back from the stump. I would suspect the huge leaves would dry out and burn on the edges here with our dry air, and that it probably wouldn't be happy with our dry soil, either. I think most trees have a place, somewhere, but this one is probably better off on a large estate in the humid southeast. JMO

No.

There really isn't an appropriate substitute for the flower, but catalpa is as close as you can get to that tree for overall look.

Dan

I had never even heard of this tree so I googled it and here's a link to the Dave's Garden page about it. Lots of opinions from "real" people!

When I read your description of big flowers, Catalpa was the first thing I thought of too, but they have their drawbacks, too, when it comes to "making a mess." When I was a kid my uncle had some growing on his farm, and when we'd go over there in fall we'd collect armfulls of the "beans," climb to the top of the loaded hay wagons, and fling them at each other like spears! Great fun for kids---but what a mess all over the ground!

Here's a couple copy & paste links to info about the Northern Catalpa. There's a Southern one too---don't know anything about it.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/215723/

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2315/

If you get one, I'll come over in fall and play with you!

;-)
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Empress Tree Paulownia tomentosa

Speaking of inappropriate trees, two more of my "Thuja Green Giant" bit the dust this winter.

Not for arid climates.

David, they look great in Western WA. There is a rhodie garden near where I used to live and they use them as a nice backdrop and windbreak. Here...eh.

------

An aside, Sunset Western Garden Book is the first thing off our shelves (the better half has her own reference shelf with some different books) when considering plants.

There are four versions in our house and the second-to-newest goes in the vehicle when we go to the nursery. Wait until it goes on sale at HD and buy it for ~19.00, as opposed to the 27.00 at other times.

Sunset came off my shelf to verify Paulownia tomentosa wouldn't grow here. We had it in Plant ID in California and for about a week it looks cool when the big flowers are visible. At other times its just blah and then it is a royal pain when the cr*ppy spent flowers fall, then the boring fall color leaves, then the ding-dang seed pods that trip the old ladies and break your rake and keep you from doing other things and all the twigs that fall at any old time and...um...did I mention that I don't care for this tree?

Catalpa is at least adapted to this area, but is twiggy and drops big pods as well. Kentucky coffee tree is well-adapted, has a better form IMHO than catalpa and tougher. Less twiggy but pods too. We're removing the Gleditsia and replacing with the coffee tree.

Dan

Thanks everybody. You confirmed my thoughts about this tree being really messy and not what I want.
B.

Paulownia functions ecologically as a pioneer plant. Its nitrogen-rich leaves provide good fodder and its roots prevent soil erosion. It is used to repair soils from deforestation allowing other species to gain foot in it. It's wood has excellent weight/resistance relation and durability. Also, and more attuned with the times, this tree has and incredible capacity to capture CO2 and release O2, which is making it an ideal candidate for "green bond" projects. I will never plant it in my front yard, but I would love to restore a few acres of poor soil with it.