Paulownia kawakamii   (Dragon Tree, Empress Tree
Paulownia kawakamii   (Dragon Tree, Empress Tree
Common Names in English:  
Dragon Tree, Empress Tree
 
 
Description
Family Scrophulariaceae
Herbs, sometimes shrubs , rarely trees ; mostly 
autotrophic, less often hemiparasitic or parasitic. 
Stipules absent. Leaves 
alternate, 
opposite, whorled , or basally opposite and 
apically alternate, simple or sometimes pinnately dissected . 
Inflorescences racemes , 
spikes, or thyrsoid 
panicles, 
determinate or 
indeterminate, or 
flowers solitary. Flowers perfect , usually 
zygomorphic, rarely actinomorphic . Calyx often persistent , (2-) 4- or 5-lobed or -parted, variously connate . Corolla sympetalous ; 
limb (3 or) 4- or 5-lobed, often 2-lipped. 
Stamens mostly 4, didynamous , sometimes 1 or 2 
staminodes present, less often 2 or 5 stamens; anther 
locules 1 or 2, equal or subequal , free or confluent . Nectary often present at base of 
ovary, ringlike, 
cupular, or reduced to a gland . Ovary superior, 2-loculed, rarely apically 1-loculed; 
ovules numerous , rarely 2 per locule, on axile placentas, anatropous or hemitropous . Style simple; stigma 
capitate, 2-lobed, or 2-lamellate. 
Fruit a 
capsule, septicidal , 
loculicidal, or 
septifragal, sometimes opening by pores or irregularly dehiscent , rarely a 
berry. Seeds minute or rarely conspicuous , sometimes winged ; 
testa often reticulate ; hilum lateral or ventral ; 
endosperm fleshy or absent; embryo straight or curved .
About 220 
genera and 4500 
species: cosmopolitan ; 61 genera (seven 
endemic) and 681 species (415 endemic) throughout China but with a greater concentration in SW China.
1
 Genus Paulownia
Trees , 
deciduous, evergreen in tropics. Bark smooth with conspicuous lenticels when young, longitudinally splitting with age. Branches 
opposite, without terminal buds. Leaves opposite, occasionally 3 in a 
whorl; petiole long; leaf blade entire or shallowly 3-5-lobed, margin undulate and often 
serrate when young. 
Inflorescences a large pyramidal to cylindric thyrse . 
Cymes (1-) 3-5(-8) -flowered, pedunculate or not. Calyx campanulate or obconical , hairy ; lobes 5, subequal , upper 1 enlarged. Corolla purple or white, funnelform-campanulate to tubular-funnelform; tube base constricted and slightly curved ; 
limb 2-lipped; lower 
lip elongated and 3-lobed; upper lip yellow, 2-lobed. 
Stamens 4, didynamous ; filaments included , twisted near base; anthers 
divergent. 
Ovary 2-loculed. Style nearly as long as stamens. 
Capsule loculicidal, 2-valved or incompletely 4-valved; 
pericarp thin or thick and woody. Seeds small, numerous , 
membranous winged ; 
endosperm sparse.
Seven 
species: mostly in China with one species extending to Laos and Vietnam; six species in China.
Because of the extensive cultivation of most species, it is often difficult to determine the precise wild 
distribution.
2
 Physical Description
Habit: Deciduous. 
Flowers: Bloom Period: March. • 
Flower Color: lavender, violet
 Size/Age/Growth
Size: 30-40' tall.
Habitat
Ecology: Mixed evergreen forest . (Ref. 85466
 
 
 
Biology
Growth
Culture: Space 15-20' apart. 
Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • 
Maximum pH: 6.5 
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun . 
Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High 
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b. (
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