Common name: Empress tree, Princess Tree, Foxglove Tree, Pao tong (Chinese)
Botanical name: Paulownia tomentosaFamily:Paulowniaceae (Empress Tree family)
Empress Tree is a deciduous tree native to central and western China. It grows
to 10-25 m tall, with large heart-shaped to five-lobed leaves 15-40 cm across,
arranged in opposite pairs on the stem. On young growth, the leaves may be in
whorls of three and be much bigger than the leaves on more mature growth. The
flowers are produced before the leaves in early spring, on panicles 10-30 cm
long, with a tubular purple corolla 4-6 cm long resembling a foxglove flower.
The fruit is a dry egg-shaped capsule 3-4 cm long, containing numerous tiny
seeds. Empress tree is a really fast growing tree. The Chinese plant this tree
when their daughter is born. When she marries, they cut the tree down and make
furniture and other useful things for her and her new husband. This tree is
rare in India.
Identification credit: Tabish
Photographed in Chirag Nursery, Delhi
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The flower labeled Empress Tree is ...
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