Southern Paulownia (Paulownia australis)

Southern Empress Tree Taiwanese Paulownia
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey / License

Paulownia australis | Southern Empress Tree Botanical Guide

Thriving in the warm climates of East Asia, Paulownia australis is celebrated as one of the fastest-growing woody plants in the region. This species, often known as the Southern Empress Tree, plays a vital role in local forestry and ecological restoration projects.

Due to its rapid development, it outperforms many other commercial tree species, helping to reforest barren hills and generate valuable timber resources.

Taxonomy

  • ∟ царство Plantae
  • ∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
  • ∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
  • ∟ Angiosperms
  • ∟ mesangiosperms (Core angiosperms)
  • ∟ eudicots
  • ∟ asterids
  • ∟ order Lamiales
  • ∟ family Paulowniaceae (Paulownia family)
  • ∟ genus Paulownia (Empress tree)
  • ∟ species Paulownia australis (Southern Paulownia)

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Morphology

This deciduous tree grows between 10 and 25 meters tall, displaying an umbrella-shaped crown and a clear trunk up to 5 meters high. The opposite leaves are exceptionally large, measuring 15 to 40 centimeters in width, with an ovate-cordate shape and a dense covering of sticky or stellate hairs on their lower surface.

Its flowering structures are wide, conical panicles reaching up to 80 centimeters in length. The purple, tubular-campanulate flowers are 5 to 7 centimeters long, featuring a two-lipped limb and a whitish throat marked by two distinct longitudinal ridges.

The fruit is an elliptical capsule approximately 4 centimeters long. When young, it is covered in stellate hairs, and it matures to reveal a woody pericarp up to 2 millimeters thick.

Flowering season

Spring

Jan
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Name
Dec

Applications

The high-quality wood of this species is highly valued for manufacturing premium furniture and cabinetry. Additionally, the bark, leaves, and flowers find applications in traditional herbal medicine.

With its large, fragrant, and beautiful blossoms, it is frequently cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and landscapes. Its rapid growth rate also makes it an excellent choice for reforestation and erosion control initiatives.

Interesting facts

This tree is considered a growth champion, sometimes outpacing fast-growing eucalyptus and acacia species under favorable conditions. It can be easily propagated in spring using root cuttings or division methods.

In botanical nomenclature, this species is closely associated with Paulownia taiwaniana, highlighting its origin and native distribution in Taiwan.

Geography of distribution

  • Taiwan
  • China
  • Vietnam

Sources

  • GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility
  • WFO: World Flora Online
  • iNaturalist: Community Observations

Technical Information

External Databases: GBIF, POWO, Tropicos

See also

Princess tree

Princess tree

Paulownia tomentosa

Paulownia tomentosa, known as the empress tree, is an exceptionally fast-growing deciduous tree famous for …

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Elongate paulownia

Elongate paulownia

Paulownia elongata

A remarkably fast-growing deciduous tree native to East Asia, cultivated for its lightweight timber, biomass …

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