Researching this notorious plant takes hardly any time at all. There are innumerable threads on this forum about this plant. There are thousands of hits on The Google under the Latin name and 'hybrid' or 'invasive' (2., 3.). Since we have no idea where you live, we cannot link to your states' invasive species list to help you, likely there is a thread on this site that discusses your state and this plants' invasiveness there.

And it is unclear what you mean by including the modifier 'truly' when asking about hybrids. Of course there are hybrids, but whether you choose to believe there are hybrids can only be answered by you.

Dan

Dan in many fewer words you could have confirmed that the real story about empress trees is that they are undesirable, in pest/weed status, possibly prohibited in some places. Contrary to what you see on "miracle instant tree" websites, they are not beautiful shade trees, rather they are homely beanstalk forms, very prone to breakage. Their branches and stems are hollow. They are not valuable to the Japanese and you will not strike it rich by planting these as some sites suggest. The truth is that if you plant one you will end up with a tree that you don't like and can never get rid of. They have the most aggressive and invasive roots I have seen in a tree except for ficus.

Dan's info is sound. Invasiveness of this particular species is entirely dependant on location - there are many areas of this country where this is NOT an invasive threat. And it does grow rapidly to form a widepreading canopied shade tree - it is only rangy and "beanstalk" looking in its youth, much like an adolescent that hasn't fully grown into its body :-)

And the wood is valued by the Japanese but not to any extent that it is considered a significant commercial enterprise.

Do the research, consider its invasive potential in your area and then make your choice

Really? Which zone 7 of the US does not have any potential for paulownia to become invasive? Please enlighten us all. Lemme guess what you're going to say... The Mohave Desert

I know you love to argue with me gardengal and I try to avoid your provocative posts but it's not enough to just consider the invasive potential in one's own area anymore. It's considering the consequences of planting something that is considered a noxious weed and such a big, growing problem throughout the continent and the effects that supporting producers of these plants will have on the rest of us.

And I realize that the paulownia looks like a beanstalk in youth but it's the only tree that I can think of that looks like a beanstalk in youth. You must be agreeing with me on that then.

Don't believe the hype!

I am with you iforgot! I would not plant this in our zone 7 area.

Dan in many fewer words you could have confirmed that the real story about empress trees is that...

I could have.

But likely IMHO far better for the OP to have context and to follow the links to see how easy the research is, instead of having to wait for a reply that may never come.

Little wins may lead to more research and more knowledge and more research and joy of discovery. And hopefully not to discover providing impressions of prolixity in comment threads.

Dan

I'm thinking someone is falling in love with this tree

Here is a link that might be useful: ECO2 Forests Inc.

If we don't learn from our mistakes we are bound to repeat them.

you would think anyone putting that much venture capital into a carbon credit plan would know that IF we ever get to real carbon credit trading, gowing single-species tree plantations for credits is going to be way, way out on the margin (or at least that's the current thinking from what I've read)

My undergrad advisor's latest research attention is carbon credits for urban forests, and many trees (altho not this POS) are right in line with certain schemes - has a bit to do with federal accounting standards - GASB34 - and other benefits.

So we may see some urban forests (IMHO) in Z6 and above try to be used for carbon trading (my advisor would say Z5 as well). Such trees as in the subject line would have too high maintenance requirements and may likely be net carbon emitters, not sequesterers. Sequesters. Squirrelers. Hoarders. Keepers. Anyway, not appropriate for urban sequestration.

Dan

Really? Which zone 7 of the US does not have any potential for paulownia to become invasive? Please enlighten us all. Lemme guess what you're going to say... The Mohave Desert

You seem to think that zone 7 somehow exists only on the eastern side of the Rockies. This tree has not shown any invasive potential in west coast zone 7's. There are many criteria that determine when or if a plant will become invasive and specific location and associated climate has a lot to do with it. One cannot make blanket statements about invasive potential and expect them to be applicable worldwide or even from one coast of the US to the other. There are a great many plants that are considered invasive on the east coast that do not share that same characteristic on the west and vice versa.

While you may think my posts "provocative", they are only intended to clarify statements like yours above that are inaccurate or overly generalized or stated in absolute terms which are inappropriate and lead to confusion and misunderstandings. Nothing more.

If you want to talk about generalized statements, lets try to just focus on answering me about what zone 7 doesn't have invasive potential for paulownia.

If you think I assume that zone 7 probably means someone is "east of the rockies", it's because 90% of that zone is east of the rockies and whatever is west of the rockies is mostly desert. Paulownia isn't invasive in the desert because paulownia won't grow in the desert.

My reply wasn't generalized. I didn't tell them to go google it or look it up online. I gave very specific reasons paulownia isn't a good tree to plant.

My reply wasn't generalized. I didn't tell them to go google it or look it up online.

Teach a man to fish...

Teach a man to recognize embedded hyperlinks...

teach a man to give up coffee cold turkey...

Dan

I wasn't trying to take a stab at you, dan. I've told people to search the forum or "google it" plenty of times. Frankly, I think this hit & run thread was started by someone who wanted to have a few laughs. But if you ask me, you can never have too many threads explaining why it is wrong to sell these paulownias and why it's a bad idea to plant them. If the OP did a search they could just as easily happen upon some websites that claim the trees are wonderful.

Frankly, I think this hit & run thread was started by someone who wanted to have a few laughs.

De nada.

Yes, I was trying to balance the snarky with helpfulness, as the questions seemed...questionable. But there is an e-mail notification, however.

Dan

iforgot, you have obviously lived a very sheltered life and must never have travelled very far out of your comfort zone. To make statements like "whatever is west of the rockies is mostly desert" is just an indication of your screaming lack of knowledge beyond your own limited horizons and a blatant example of overgeneralization.

In case you have issues with reading comprehension, go back to my posts and see what zones 7's do not share an invasive potential for paulownia....and they aren't exactly deserts.

As to overgeneralizing, you made a blanket statement that paulownias are invasive. Period. Wrong - they are invasive in specific areas. As are the vast majority of other invasive plant species limited by location. In areas where they are not invasive, there is absolutely nothing wrong in growing this tree.

gardengal,
I've come to the conclusion you can't answer the question as to what part of zone 7 doesn't have the potential for paulownia to become invasive.

Anyone who's seen a colony of paulownias before knows beside seed, they spread far and wide by roots and root suckers. They have the potential to be invasive anywhere that they grow- practically anywhere that is, where they can grow on their own without irrigation or support from humans and where they aren't kept under control by humans or abiotic factors.

Rather than hurl insults at me and tell me I live a sheltered life or have a lack of knowledge, why don't you correct me where I'm wrong with actual facts. Sort of like the way I'm correcting you where you are wrong, without insulting you. You can start by answering the question, what part of zone 7, do paulownias not have the potential to become invasive?

I have read and re-read your replies to this thread and forgive me for being so stupid but I can't seem to find where you've answered this question. Do I need to be wearing special goggles to see it?

It's OK to not have the answer. It's OK to contribute an unhelpful reply. It's NOT OK to be insulting. If you care to reply, please bear in mind that I do have feelings.