Re: Pawlonia tomentosa

I have seen these trees growing in southern China and we were also told the
stories of how the wood is used, and that they were quite precious trees.
However some of the botanists in our group pointed out the dangers of
introducing these to Australia, because they seed about terribly.  We saw
seedlings sprouting on roof tops, in drains, just about anywhere they could
get a hold.

I was horrified to realise that I had been taken in by the advertising and
had planted one by our drive and planned to remove it as soon as I got
home, but mine is still quite small - about 1.5m - probably stunted by the
lack of water and our light granite soil.  It flowered this year for the
first time in 10 years and the blue flowers were quite attractive briefly,
but the large leaves have always looked out of place in our landscape.


There is a farm of them about 15 minutes down the road from me - research
or something, my understanding is that they are from china and like full
sun, no wind and god knows what else, also that they grow in rich alluvial
soil that is flooded once a year (certainly the farm down the road is in a
flood plain - hasn't flooded for 10 years tho). gather they are grown as
dowry trees, cut down to make furniture for the happy couples first home -
have no idea if that bit is just sentimental marketing twaddle or not -
afraid the tree has never appealed - possibly because it has always looked
so out of place whereever I have seen it planted.......



Shelley Harvey
New England Tablelands
Northern New South Wales
Australia
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