Paulownia tomentosa known as princess tree, empress tree, or foxglove-tree, is a deciduous tree in the family Paulowniaceae, native to central and western China. It is a fast-growing tree, and is a persistent exotic invasive in North America.
The generic name Paulownia honors Anna Pavlovna of Russia. The specific epithet tomentosa is a Latin word meaning ‘covered in hairs’. This tree grows 10–25 m (33–82 ft) tall, with large heart-shaped to five-lobed leaves 15–40 cm (6–16 in) across, arranged in opposite pairs on the stem. On young growth, the leaves may be in whorls of three and be much bigger than the leaves on more mature growth. The leaves can be mistaken for those of the catalpa. The very fragrant flowers are produced before the leaves in early spring. Paulownia tomentosa is cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens.
