Plant in full sun in most any soil and irrigate infrequently to occasionally - pretty drought tolerant considering where it comes from and is hardy zone to 0-10° F and useful from USDA zone 6 and above. Prune while young to desired form after which little attention is needed. The wood is very light, soft, and warp-resistant so is used extensively in Asia for making wooden chests (including coffins), musical instruments, and wooden shoes. We have had customers request long straight limbs to use in making surfboards. Paulownia are considered to be deep rooted trees that generally do not lift pavement but they will seek out leaky sewer and leach lines so placement of the tree by at least 20 feet away from these is recommended.

Paulownia kawakamii from Taiwan to southeastern China and possibly Japan where it is found in mixed deciduous forests. The name for the genus honors Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna, the princess daughter of daughter of Tzar Paul I of Russia, who married King William II of the Netherlands. It is a a genus of 17 deciduous Asian trees that has long been placed in either the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae) or the Bignonia family (Bignoniaceae) but more recently taxonomists have put in its own family, the Paulowniaceae. The specific epithet honors the Japanese botanist Takiya Kawakami. The most common of the Paulownia is Paulownia tomentosa, the so called Empress Tree, It is unknown in its natural habitat yet has escaped cultivation to become naturalized from New York to Georgia. These trees are sometimes also called the Foxglove Tree since the flowers resemble this perennial. We first received a single specimen of this tree in 1994 from landscape architect Isabelle Greene and started offering it in the nursery in 1997. The tree in our nursery planted in the mid-1990s grew rapidly initially and then slowed but was already 35 feet tall by the time it was 15 years old. It is always a stunning site in bloom in mid spring. 

The information displayed on this page about Paulownia kawakamii is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.