Missouri Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 
Vol. X St. Louis, Mo., December 1922 No. 10 
PAULOWNIA TOMENTOSA 
An unusually large specimen of the so-called imperial tree 
of China may be found in the garden of Mrs. A. Bohnn, 9406 
Broadway, of this city. The local specimen is interesting be- 
eause of its having withstood the winters of this region long 
enough to attain the maximum size, comparing most favorably 
with the trees of the same species growing in subtropical 
regions. According to Mrs. Bohnn, the tree was planted by 
ber father-in-law, over fifty years ago, from seeds sent him 
from the southern states. The tree is growing adjacent to the 
public sidewalk on Broadway, dividing the property fence by 
its large trunk. It is fully 40 feet in height, with a spread 
of approximately 35 feet, and a trunk diameter of 3 feet. With- 
in the last few years the prevalent storms have damaged two 
of the largest branches, necessitating pruning back to the 
main stem. The tree has flowered annually during April or 
May, and at the present time bears many large panicles of 
fruit suggesting the common buckeye in appearance. Hach 
seed-pod contains hundreds of small seeds which are provided 
with a small circular winged appendage for the purpose of 
wind dissemination, and a number of young plants ranging 
from 6 to 20 feet in height are growing directly across the 
street, evidently having been established in this way. 
Paulownia is fairly hardy as far north as New York, but 
it is a rare occurrence to find trees of the size of the local 
specimen outside of California or Florida. It is, however, 
grown as an ornamental foliage plant much farther north, but 
is killed to the ground every winter. In China and Japan 
it is cultivated for its ornamental fiowers and fruit, and in 
the southern part of the United States it has been used as a 
street tree. It is frequently mistaken for the catalpa because 
of its similar habit and foliage. 
Commercial Use-—The wood of Paulownia is fairly lght 
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