The fast-growing tree, started right.
Clean, true-to-type Paulownia fortunei slips straight from our tissue culture lab. Every slip is a genetic match to a proven mother tree, screened for disease, and rooted and acclimatized before it ships to you.
Lot 26-09 · acclimatized 21 d
Pathogen screen: pass
Same tree, every time.
Seeds shuffle genetics. Root cuttings can carry disease from field to field. Our slips start as a sterile shoot from a selected mother tree and are multiplied in the lab, so a plantation of a thousand behaves like one tree planted a thousand times.
| Seed | Root cuttings | Our tissue culture slips | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genetics | Variable. Each seedling is different. | Matches the source tree | True to type from a selected mother tree |
| Disease risk | Low to moderate | Can carry soil and root pathogens | Starts sterile. Every lot is screened. |
| Uniformity in the field | Uneven stand | Fair | Even growth, easier to manage and harvest |
| Supply at scale | Seasonal | Limited by stock trees | Year-round lab production |
One tree or a whole plantation.
From a backyard shade tree to a thousand-acre timber stand.
Timber, biomass, carbon
Plan by the acre with the spacing calculator. Slip pricing drops with volume, and field-ready liners are available on commercial contracts.
Planting guideFast shade and spring bloom
Big heart-shaped leaves in summer and violet, fragrant flower clusters in spring. Order as few as one slip.
Shop slipsPlugs to grow on
Rooted slips by the tray to grow on, with volume pricing and standing orders through the season.
Commercial ordersFrom lab vessel to your field.
Select
We start from a mother tree chosen for straight stems and strong growth.
Multiply
Sterile shoot tips are grown and multiplied in sealed vessels under controlled light and temperature.
Root and screen
Shoots are rooted, and each lot is checked for contamination and disease before it leaves the lab.
Acclimatize
Rooted slips are acclimatized to open air, so they arrive ready to pot up or plant.
How many trees do you need?
Enter your acreage and goal. We will show the spacing, tree count, and your slip cost at volume pricing.
Open the full calculatorBefore you order
Tissue culture slips
Rooted, acclimatized slips straight from the lab. Buy one or buy a plantation. Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart.
The Paulownia field guide
What the tree is, where it grows, what it is used for, and how to plant it responsibly.
Meet the tree
Paulownia has been grown in China for more than 2,000 years. It was prized for its fast growth and light timber, and it was often planted near homes as a sign of prosperity. The wood went into furniture and musical instruments. Over time the tree spread to Japan, where it is called kiri, then to Korea, and later to Europe and the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Today Paulownia is grown around the world for timber, animal feed, bioenergy, and soil restoration. It is among the fastest-growing hardwoods, adapts to many soils and climates, and can be propagated from seed, cuttings, or tissue culture.
At a glance: Paulownia fortunei
- Common names
- Dragon tree, Fortune's empress tree (Princess tree and empress tree usually mean P. tomentosa.)
- Family
- Paulowniaceae (earlier placed in Scrophulariaceae or Bignoniaceae)
- Native range
- Southern and central China, Taiwan, Laos, and Vietnam
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 6 to 10
- Mature height
- 50 to 75 ft
- Form
- Tall, straight, fairly narrow crown. Favored for timber.
- Flowers
- Pale violet to creamy white, fragrant, in early spring before the leaves
- Soil
- Well-drained. Sensitive to waterlogged ground.
Paulownia species
Flora of China recognizes 7 species. Some authors count more when they include hybrids and closely related forms. The most widely cultivated are P. elongata, P. fortunei, P. tomentosa, and hybrids between them. We grow P. fortunei because of its straight trunk and timber quality.
Why tissue culture
Tissue culture, also called micropropagation, grows new plants from a tiny piece of a parent plant in a sterile, nutrient-rich gel. Because every plantlet comes from the same mother tree, each one carries the same genetics.
- True to type. Uniform growth and form across the whole planting.
- Clean start. Plants begin free of soil pests and pathogens, and each lot is screened before release.
- Faster establishment. Vigorous, well-rooted, hardened plants that establish quickly when planted and cared for properly.
- Scale. Production does not depend on seed years or stock-tree size.
Species and clone ID
Lot number and date
Days acclimatized
Pathogen screen result
The wood
Paulownia lumber is about 40% the weight of red oak and roughly twice as dense as balsa, which makes it one of the lightest commercial hardwoods. It is pale blond, fine grained, and very stable once dry, so it warps little. It cuts, nails, glues, and finishes easily.
| Property | Paulownia | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Density, air-dry | 16 to 20 lb/ft³ | 260 to 320 kg/m³ |
| Shrinkage, green to dry | 2.4% radial, 3.9% tangential | Very low. High dimensional stability. |
| Modulus of rupture | ~5,500 psi | About 38 MPa. Red oak is about 14,400 psi. |
| Modulus of elasticity | 0.4 to 0.7 Mpsi | About 2.7 to 4.9 GPa |
| Compression parallel to grain | ~3,000 psi | About 21 MPa |
| Fire behavior | Flame resistant for its weight | Lab tests found better flame retardancy than cedar. |
Values are typical for plantation Paulownia and vary with species, age, and growing conditions. Published figures are often measured on P. tomentosa. Full references on the Sources page.
Color ages from pale blond to a warm honey tone. In Japan it has long been used for kimono chests, valued for its light weight and stability in humid weather.
One tree, many uses
Nearly every part of the tree has a use.
Timber
Light, stable boards for furniture, paneling, and specialty products. Short-rotation harvests often start around 6 to 10 years or later, depending on site, spacing, and log grade.
Musical instruments
Valued for resonance and low weight in guitar bodies and traditional instruments.
Surf and water sports
Light, strong, and slow to swell, which suits surfboards and paddleboards.
Animal feed
Leaves are high in protein and can be harvested and dried for feed.
Bioenergy
Branches and residue can be made into pellets and biomass fuel.
Biochar
Non-timber wood can be converted to biochar, which can improve soil water holding and aeration.
Carbon capture
Fast growth stores carbon in wood quickly. Some plantation projects may qualify for carbon programs, depending on each program's rules.
Honey
Early-spring flowers feed bees when little else is blooming.
Soil repair
Deep roots help stabilize slopes and eroded ground, and Paulownia has been studied for reclaiming damaged soils.
Agroforestry
While trees are young, grow shade-tolerant crops or herbs between the rows.
Ornamental
Large leaves and a showy spring bloom make a striking landscape tree.
Bio-based materials
Wood flour for composite panels, plus extracts from flowers and leaves.
Responsible planting
Paulownia spreads by seed in some regions. P. tomentosa has naturalized widely in the eastern United States and is prohibited in Connecticut and Wisconsin. P. fortunei has also naturalized in parts of the Southeast, and the University of Florida rates it as a high invasion risk and does not recommend planting it in Florida. Check your state and county rules before you order. We do not ship to states where we restrict sales (see checkout).
- Plant in managed sites, not next to natural areas or forest edges.
- For timber plantings, harvest on schedule and remove seed capsules where practical.
- Ask us about local conditions. We would rather help you plan well than sell you the wrong tree.
Sources
Facts on this site were checked against these references (last reviewed September 2026).
- NC State Extension, Plant Toolbox: Paulownia fortunei. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/paulownia-fortunei/
- Flora of China: Paulownia (genus). http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=124177
- Flora of China: Paulownia fortunei. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200020797
- Trees and Shrubs Online: Paulownia fortunei. https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/paulownia/paulownia-fortunei/
- USDA ARS GRIN Taxonomy: Paulownia fortunei. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=27042
- The Wood Database: Paulownia (P. tomentosa). https://www.wood-database.com/paulownia/
- The Wood Database: Red Oak. https://www.wood-database.com/red-oak/
- The Wood Database: Balsa. https://www.wood-database.com/balsa/
- Jakubowski, M. (2022). Cultivation Potential and Uses of Paulownia Wood: A Review. Forests 13(5):668. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050668
- Li, P. & Oda, J. (2007). Flame retardancy of paulownia wood and its mechanism. Journal of Materials Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-007-1781-9
- Graves, D.H. & Stringer, J.W. (1989). Paulownia: A Guide to Establishment and Cultivation (FOR-39). University of Kentucky. https://forestry.mgcafe.uky.edu/sites/forestry.ca.uky.edu/files/for39.pdf
- Shtereva, L. et al. (2014). Micropropagation of six Paulownia genotypes through tissue culture. Journal of Central European Agriculture 15(4). https://doi.org/10.5513/jcea01/15.4.1523
- Al-Sagheer, A.A. et al. (2019). Paulownia leaves as a new feed resource. Animals 9(3):95. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/3/95
- USDA Forest Service FEIS: Paulownia tomentosa. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/pautom/all.html
- UF/IFAS Assessment: Paulownia fortunei (High Invasion Risk). https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/paulownia-fortunei/
- Connecticut Invasive Plants Council: Invasive Plant List. https://cipwg.uconn.edu/invasive_plant_list/
- Wisconsin DNR: Princess tree (NR 40 Prohibited). https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/PrincessTree
- Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board: Empress tree (monitor list). https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/empress-tree
- EDDMapS: invasive species distribution. https://www.eddmaps.org/
Plant it once. Plant it right.
Site, spacing, growing on, planting, and first-year care for tissue culture Paulownia slips.
Spacing calculator
Timber: 16 ft square grid. Wider spacing grows bigger trunks.
Choose the site
- Drainage first. Paulownia roots rot in standing water. Choose well-drained loam or sandy loam.
- Soil pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Avoid salty ground.
- Full sun and shelter from strong wind, which can snap young leaders.
- Gentle slopes are fine and reduce erosion risk.
- Zone 6 to 10. Zone 6 is the cold edge, so young trees may die back in hard winters. Late frosts can nip new growth, so plant after your last frost date.
Planting, step by step
Unpack and pot up
Open the box on arrival and water. Most growers pot slips into 4 in or 1 gal pots and grow them on for 4 to 8 weeks before field planting.
Dig
Dig a hole about 16 to 20 in wide and deep. Mix in compost.
Plant
Set the young tree at the same depth it grew in the pot. Firm the soil and water deeply.
Protect
Mulch, stake if windy, and add a guard where deer or rabbits browse.
Care calendar
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 8 | Water weekly if rain is short. Keep weeds back in a 3 ft circle. |
| First summer | Keep soil moist, not wet. Drip irrigation works best. |
| First winter | Once roots are established, often after 1 to 3 seasons, many timber growers cut the stem back to near ground level. The regrowth is usually straighter and faster. Ask us if this fits your goal. |
| Year 2 | Keep one strong leader and remove competing shoots. |
| Years 2 to 3 | Prune lower side branches to grow a clean, knot-free trunk. |
| Ongoing | Fertilize based on a soil test. Watch for root rot in wet spells. |
Grow with a steady supply.
For nurseries, resellers, and plantation projects up to hundreds of thousands of trees. Lab production runs year-round, so we can schedule deliveries to your planting plan.
- Field Liners: slips grown on to 12 to 18 in and hardened off, ready to plant. Commercial contracts only.
- Slips by the tray, reserved by ship week
- Lot documentation with every shipment
- Planting and site support for large projects
A tree company run by plant scientists.
Endless Tree Company grows Paulownia fortunei in a plant tissue culture lab in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We started with one goal: give growers clean, consistent trees that establish fast and perform the same across a whole planting.
Powered by Endless Biotech, a plant biotechnology company focused on tissue culture and plant health.
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