royal paulownia Scrophulariaceae Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud. symbol: PATO2 Leaf: Opposite, simple, heart-shaped and quite large, 5 to 12 inches long, typically quite velvety, green above and paler below; leaves on younger trees will often show course serrations or even lobes. Flower: Large, showy, upright clusters of purple flowers; individual tube-like flowers are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, very fragrant and appearing in mid-spring. Fruit: Oval capsule, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, filled with numerous (1,000s) small seeds; capsules initially sticky and green, later turning brown and dry, persistent. Twig: Stout, light brown, numerous lenticels, leaf scar nearly circular, bundle scars arranged in a circle, pith is hollow in the second year; terminal bud lacking, lateral buds small. Bark: Thin, grayish brown with shallow fissures. Form: Rounded crown, heavy, clumsy branches, reaches 50 feet tall, 2 feet in diameter. Looks like: dragon tree - southern catalpa - northern catalpa Additional Range Information: Paulownia tomentosa is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. See states reporting royal paulownia. More: Fall Color External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson