Thanks for taking the time to tell us something isn’t quite right. Please provide details and we will look into it.
Paulownia tomentosa (Foxglove tree)
Other names: Empress tree, Princess tree
ShootChecker™
STOP: Make sure you get the “Right Plant, Right Place.”
90% of plants die because they were the wrong plant choice. Shoot helps you to save valuable time and money to get the right plant choices for any garden.
P. tomentosa is a large, rounded, deciduous tree with large, heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers (resembling foxgloves) which are formed before the leaves emerge.
North-Central Coastal = Moderate/Medium Central Valley = Moderate/Medium South Coastal = Moderate/Medium South Inland = Moderate/Medium High and Intermediate Desert = Unknown Low Desert = Inappropriate
When you say you are growing it for its foliage, do you mean something like Catalpa or Pawlonia, where you are fitting it in a tropical theme or do you mean the overall look of its foliage. Normally if you are coppicing your tree or shrub you do this Feb. You do this to smoke bush, and the shrubby dogwoods. I myself consider cutting trees to the ground for the sake of fitting a theme sacrilegious.
Hi Mark, please don't cut your tree until you know what it is and when you have identified it we will then know what's best for it. As a general rule, deciduous trees (leaves that fall off) can be pruned in the summer / autumn time.. Evergreen trees can be pruned in the spring time.. not applying any hard and fast rules because all plants are grown in different circumstances.. So, how about a photo, if you can and then we could have a go at identifying for you and then be better equipped to suggest a plan for pruning.. If you are growing for foliage makes sense not to cut it down the ground! ;-)
I have a tree that was planted in full sun in a prominent position. It is now in excess of 5 metres high. Should I hard prune it almost to the ground now? Will it kill it? I am growing it for leaf interest. It was a present and so need to hang on to it. I have the space or a bigger tree but want the best for it. Should I or should I not prune it?
Thank you ! Wouldnt it be lovely to have both ! I think the leaves are the important thing here, It is grafted though , so cant cut down that low, will bite the bullet and do it and have some of that food I think, it gets afternoon light which should back light the leaves,
Posted: Tuesday 9th of March 2010 12:54 PM Last reply: Tuesday 9th of March 2010 12:54 PM
Are you growing your paulownia for its foliage effect, or do you wish to enjoy the flowers? This is an important question to answer, as it will affect the timing of your pruning.
If it is for its luxuriant tropical-like leaves, then hard pruning should be done in early spring (and here the weather has been so awful, it is going to be difficult to predict the best possible time!). The issue is that the stems are hollow, and if hit by cold and wet weather, then they will succumb. Spring pruning involves cutting the stems down to within 5-8cm (2-3in) of ground level in the spring, just before the growth begins.
Paulownias are also better planted in a sunny spot where the wood has a better chance to ripen for flower buds than in a damp shady area.
If you are growing it for flowers, then the best time to prune it is immediately after flowering, so the plant has sufficient time during the summer months to develop new wood and set its flower buds before the dormant period in the winter. The flowers appear before the leaves.
Whichever effect you are aspiring to, you should feed and water the plant well after pruning. This will help it recover from the shock of surgery! I always recommend slow release granules, and the one that I use most is Westland Feed All which has a good potassium input in its NPK ratio. Failing that, Top Rose is another good one!
So the choice is yours - flowers and small leaves, or no flowers and big showy leaves - and prune accordingly!
Good luck Auntie Planty
Posted: Tuesday 9th of March 2010 11:53 AM Last reply: Tuesday 9th of March 2010 11:54 AM
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plant_paulownia_tomentosa_1_74.jpg)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_1167/users/plant_1167_user_15569_20110827201052.jpg)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_1167/users/plant_1167_user_1627_20170909161918.png)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_1167/users/plant_1167_user_1627_20170909161947.png)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plant_paulownia_tomentosa_1_74.jpg)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_1167/users/plant_1167_user_15569_20110827201052.jpg)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_1167/users/plant_1167_user_1627_20170909161918.png)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_1167/users/plant_1167_user_1627_20170909161947.png)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_18550/plant_18550_shoot_20150303205004.jpg)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_31635/plant_31635_shoot_20211119214209.jpg)
/filters:strip_exif()/assets/plants/plant_723/plant_723_shoot_20200831205529.jpg)