Paulownia Tomentosa: The Fast-Growing Empress Tree and the Art of Pollarding

Paulownia Tomentosa: The Fast-Growing Empress Tree and the Art of Pollarding

A homeowner discovered a vigorous tree growing in front of their house. After ordering what they thought was an empress tree for the backyard, they realized it was the same "monster" species. Each fall, they cut the trees down to a bare trunk about three feet from the ground. Come spring, the trees regrow rapidly, reaching 16 to 20 feet by August. The trunks and long leaf stems are hollow and lined with a white, milky substance. The enormous leaves—over 20 inches across—feel leathery, reminiscent of elephant ears.

Leaf detail

Tree in August 2012

Expert Identification

The tree is Paulownia tomentosa, commonly known as the empress tree or princess tree. The annual cutting back is a pruning technique called pollarding, which encourages the tree to produce a massive head of exceptionally large leaves. If allowed to mature naturally, the leaves would be much smaller and the tree might even flower. Paulownia is one of the fastest-growing trees, reaching maturity in about 10 years.

Young tree

Mature tree

Searching for "Paulownia tomentosa" reveals how dramatically the tree's overall shape and leaf size can vary depending on cultivation practices.