Dragon Trees

[LucyGoose]

Has anyone heard of these? I was Googling for fast growing trees and this came up....I e-mailed them....This is what they said back....

http://www.dragontrees.com/


Hi Kathleen,

They will do fine with the Hosta's. The roots will go where they need to to get water. Their natural tendency is to grow straight down. These trees are not like Maples. Also they are not considered messy trees.

We appreciate your interest,
Regards,
Zoe'Anna


Pleas tell me whatever you know....

Thanks!!

[KellieD]

I've never heard them called dragon trees. I know them by Pauwlonia or Empress Tree.

This tree gets B-I-G. Not one I would put in limited space.
The flowers are gorgeous!!

[Old earth dog]

There are a few really big ones in Forest Park here but I think this may be the Northern most area they will flower on a regular basis. They remind me of a Lady Cigar tree (Catalpa). I also think they are about as brittle and messy as the Catalpa. Very pretty lavendar flowers.

[viktoria]

Correct spelling is Paulownia. If you google for it, you will find http://www.paulownia.org/ and many other sites for more info. It is not hardy in your zone but the roots may survive so it will die back to the ground each year and re-grow. If it blooms on old wood, you will never see flowers.

[LucyGoose]

Thanks you guys!! Pat sent me this link....I thought with the flowers that they would be messy, too...but that lady says no........

http://forestry.about.com/library/tree/blroyalp.htm

[Deb118]

Lucy,
If they are anything like the Catalpa, YOU do not want these! I know you. And you dont! I have the Catalpa's here. They do grow FAST. The blooms are BEAUTIFUL. They (the blooms) smell heavenly. I, myself, do not mind the messy part of the blooms when they fall. It's nature at its best. But the worst part is in the fall. Bob called them Lady Cigar tree, but we've always called them ean trees Cause they have long beans hanging. And when they dry and fall, they are a pain in the @ss!

[nimblewill]

Lucy, I have always considered these a weed tree. I don't find the lavender flowers particularly attractive and I think the seed capsules that hang on over the winter are positively ugly. I used to live in zone 6, where they would sometimes be winter killed, but the roots would survive. Last week I saw one at Wade & Gatton that had sprouted from a stump. W&G is zone 5 and probably close to the coldest area in Ohio.

Sooo... I think you should plant some. They're usually available cheap, they grow like weeds when young, and the young tree has huge leaves, which are kinda neat. If the things fail to die back over the winter, there is a technique called coppicing, or stooling, that you could use. See http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0105/Coppicing.asp Basically you cut the tree to the gound every year. So while the paulownia are providing some temporary shade, you can grow some real trees. Later you can paint the paulownia stumps with brush killer.

Sorry you have to go through this. Good luck.

[LucyGoose]

Thanks Deb and nimblewill......

Deb, we had a Catalpa as a kid, and I used to love to get my brother with those long things.... They do sting good...

I know, I also read that they are invasive, but I was thinking for fast growing....But I think it's to late since this heat wave we have had fried the hosta's but good.....I am surprised on a couple of them...Like Praying Hands....so far nothing....

I doubt I get one of these...But I wanted to hear what all you guys know about them.....

Thanks a bunch!!

[kHT]

LG, I have seeds from the one that was removed here. They are the messest trees around. Let me know if you want seeds!

[LucyGoose]

There ya go again Karma...

Thanks, but no thanks.....I was dreaming....

[Christie-SW-MO]

Have you considered planting several small trees instead of one big tree? Maybe a little grove of redbuds fairly close together and plan to cut down every other one when they get bigger. Would that work well?