Pruning Royal Paulownia
Sunday May 27, 2007
Paulownia tomentosa expresses rapid growth and can reach 8 feet in two years from seed. This long growth spurt can cause frequent winterkill to tender new growth at the end of the growing season. You will not find this to be a problem if you prune down to where an axillary bud can take over as the single leader.... Photo by Steve Nix
It is important to build a single leader as long as possible and the stem should be clear to the first main branch at 6 feet or higher. This pruning process is especially important if you want to sell the tree for its valuable wood.
Before high wood prices created a worldwide timber market, Paulownias were grown for their explosive foliage by gardeners and horticulturists. By cutting the plant down to within 3 inches of level ground in spring, the resultant shoots produce a rich, luxuriant tropical growth which was admired as an ornamental specimen.
Comments
when is the best time to prune. Can it be done at anytime or better after flowering?
How can I kill the darn thing? I cut it down, drilled holes and poured a root killer down the holes. Now I have little tree shoots popping up all over the yard !!
My yard is not big enough for this kind of growth.
Pruning should be the early spring directed only to dead wood. Do major cutting after flowering. Sow seeds or root cuttings in the spring. This is a great specimen for the garden lawn or city parks. Give it lots of room!
MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
Princess tree can be controlled using a variety of mechanical and chemical controls. Hand pulling may be effective for young seedlings. Plants should be pulled as soon as they are large enough to grasp. Seedlings are best pulled after a rain when the soil is loose. The entire root must be removed since broken fragments may resprout. Trees can be cut at ground level with power or manual saws. Cutting is most effective when trees have begun to flower to prevent seed production. Because Princess tree spreads by suckering, resprouts are common after cutting. Cutting should be considered an initial control measure that will require either repeated cutting of resprouts or an herbicidal treatment.
Chemical
Princess tree seedlings and small trees can be controlled by applying a 2% solution of glyphosate (e.g., Roundup®) or triclopyr (e.g., Garlon) and water plus a 0.5% non-ionic surfactant to thoroughly wet all leaves. Use a low pressure and coarse spray pattern to reduce damage from spray drift on non-target species. Glyphosate is a non-selective systemic herbicide that may kill non-target plants that are only partially sprayed. Triclopyr is a selective herbicide for broadleaf species. In areas where desirable grasses are growing , triclopyr can be used with minimal non-target damage.
Girdling is effective on large trees where the use of herbicides is impractical. Using a hatchet, make a cut through the bark encircling the base of the tree, approximately six inches above the ground. Be sure that the cut goes well below the bark. This method will kill the top of the tree but resprouts are common and may require a follow-up treatment with a foliar herbicide.
Cut stump application
The cut stump method, that is applying herbicide to freshly cut stumps, should be considered for individual trees or when desirable plants are nearby that might be impacted by foliar applications. Stump treatments can be used as long as the ground is not frozen. Begin treatments by horizontally cutting stems at or near ground level. Immediately apply a 50% solution of glyphosate or triclopyr and water to the cut stump making sure to cover the outer 20% of the stump. Basal bark applications are effective throughout the year as long as the ground is not frozen. Apply a mixture of 25% triclopyr and 75% horticultural oil to the base of the tree trunk to a height of 12-15 inches from the ground. Thorough wetting is necessary for good control; spray until run-off is noticeable at the ground line.
11 Sept., 2007
I ended up with 5 Royal Empress Trees! They’re still a few inches high and waiting 2B planted. I have a small front & back yard. Can they be planted close together? I am in the 8B area. Thank you