Despre arborele Paulownia

Arborele foios Paulownia sau copacul printesei ,supranumit datorita rezistentei lui " aluminiul lemnului " este un arbore cu coroana larga, lujeri grosi cu frunze mari si flori liliachii si parfumate. Inflorescentele se formeaza din toamna si infloresc in lunile mai iunie. Fructele sunt capsule de 3-4 cm brune, foarte decorative.

Acest arbore exotic se remarca prin inflorirea sa abundenta de la inceputul primaverii dinaintea infrunzirii. Atunci se deschid mari corole liliachii asemanatoare cu forma gurii leului. Florile sant foarte atragatoare pentru albine, fiind mai prolific decat salcamul la productie de miere. Arborii Paulownia sunt rezistenti la seceta, odata fixai radacinile lor intra adnc n pamnt, n cautarea apei, mai mult dect la suprafata. Aceasta permite o utilizare mai usoara n jurul arborelui si este favorabil aleilor nvecinate sau dependintelor. Este benefica umbra lui pe timpul verii ,iar iarna este desfrunzit si lasa razele soarelui sa treaca Spre deosebire de alti arbori cu crestere rapida care au o durata de viata scurta, un arbore Paulownia sanatos poate rezista timp de 80 pna la 100 de ani. Paulownia este un arbore cu frunze cazatoare, avnd un ritm de crestere foarte ridicat n conditii favorabile si un ciclu de rotatie scurt.

Rspndirea naturala
Raspndirea variaza de la clima tropicala pna la cea temperata, n locuri cu media precipitatiilor variate. Se gaseste la altitudini care ncep aproape de nivelul marii, pna la

aproximativ 2400 m. Exista noua specii de paulownia si sunt similare n ceea ce priveste aspectul si proprietatile masei lemnoase. concepute n mod stiintific pentru a determina aclimatizarea la mediu

Cerintele locului
Arborele Paulownia poate tolera o gama larga de conditii de mediu. Pentru a asigura cresterea maxima, irigarea poate fi necesara pe ntreaga durata a ciclului de dezvoltare. Paulownia tolereaza o gama larga de tipuri de sol, dar cu toate acestea solurile adnci si fertile sunt necesare pentru o crestere optima. Sunt de preferat solurile argiloase nisipoase afnate sau cele argiloase. Plantatiile trebuie sa fie bine drenate, deoarece paulownia nu tolereaza solurile inundate. Arborii se defoliaza si pot chiar muri dupa ce terenul a fost inundat pentru o perioada scurta de 3-5 zile. De aceea, locurile n care nivelul apei freatice este la mai putin de 1,5 m de suprafata nu sunt adecvate pentru paulownia. Solul sarat si apa pot de asemenea afecta cresterea. n general, Paulownia nu tolereaza un nivel scazut de lumina, crescnd cel mai bine la lumina directa a soarelui. Pentru a obtine o naltime si un diametru optim este necesara o temperatura medie zilnica de aproximativ 24-29C. Rezistenta la frig a arborelui Paulownia variaza, specia oferita de Paulownia Europa fiind capabila sa suporte temperaturi de pna la -30C ,temperatura sub care se opreste din crestere fiind de -20C. ngheturile aspre de primavara pot distruge lastarii aflati n crestere sau pot deteriora ramurile arborilor, afectnd cresterea si forma acestora. Paulownia necesita un loc adapostit deoarece vnturile persistente pot cauza ndoirea permanenta a trunchiurilor copacilor, facndu-le neutilizabile drept busteni de gater. Vnturile puternice pot dauna si chiar rupe arborii crescuti. Butasii tineri au frunze foarte mari care sunt mai sensibile la daunele provocate de nghet, v nt sau grindina.

Management
Paulownia necesita un management intensiv n cazul n care este crescut pentru productia de masa lemnoasa. Pentru a obtine un pret ridicat pentru masa lemnoasa este necesar un bustean cu diametru mare fara noduri. Curatarea ramurilor este esentiala pentru maximizarea cantitatii de busteni fara noduri, nsa poate avea un impact usor negativ asupra cresterii. Pierderea lastarului principal este o problema obisnuita, fiind necesara o curatare de corectare pentru a mentine tulpina dreapta. Paulownia nu tolereaza iarba abundenta cand este necesara cresterea foarte rapida, de aceea se impune un control ferm n primii ani de crestere. Paulownia creste foarte bine din subarboret. n cazul n care plantele originale sunt slabe ori au tulpina principala deformata, taierea pna la nivelul solului poate permite unei singure tulpini drepte sa ajunga un butas complet.

Calitatea lemnului
Lemnul are culoarea galben deschis spre rosu deschis. Materialul lemnos are o densitate de 300-330 kg/m3 si 15% continut de umiditate, cu fibra dreapta si este inodor. Desi este usor si are o densitate scazuta, este n mod relativ rezistent n ceea ce priveste greutatea specifica. Lemnul are proprietati excelente de izolare termica si electrica si este usor de uscat la aer. Poate fi utilizat la constructii fara restrictii, avand proprietati excelente pentru poli sustinere, capriori,etc. Materialul lemnos Paulownia are caracteristici excelente de lucru, este usor de netezit, de taiat cu ferastraul sau de sculptat. Materialul lemnos moale este expus la deteriorari ale suprafetei si necesita manipularea cu atentie pe parcursul productiei si folosirii. Materialul lemnos Paulownia are o tendinta de a forma puncte cu rasina urmate de o macinare ct timp este nca verde si suprafata se poate decolora.

Caracteristici de uscare

Materialul lemnos se usuca bine, nu se deformeaza, nu crapa si nu isi schimba forma cu usurinta. O placa de 25 mm grosime poate fi uscata pna la o umezeala de 10%, n 25 de zile, la temperatura normala a camerei. Dupa uscare, materialul lemnos este foarte stabil.

Utilizare
Piata materialului lemnos paulownia desi la inceput are tendinta de dezvoltare n Romania. Materialul lemnos paulownia poate fi folosit n productia diferitelor articole.

Acestea includ: mobila, constructii navale, aeronave, cutii de ambalare, seifuri, hrtie, placaj, mbinari si cornise.

Greutate
Paulownia are 1/3 din greutatea stejarului si jumatate din greutatea pinului.

Rezistenta
Paulownia a fost testat si s-a dovedit ca este cel mai rezistent dintre toate tipurile de copaci din lume daca se raporteaza la greutate de aceea este denumit si aluminiul lemnului. Paulownia poate fi taiat mai subtire si poate oferi aproximativ aceeasi rezistenta si greutate. Paulownia ofera un beneficiu n ceea ce priveste economia de spatiu, putand fi taiat la jumatatea grosimii. Exista de asemenea o economie semnificativa de costuri deoarece aproximativ jumatate din material ar trebui sa fie achizitionat. Paulownia mentine bine cuiele si suruburile si nu necesita gauri de ghidare pentru gaurire. De fapt, att plopul galben, ct si pinul alb s-au dovedit a se despica naintea lui Paulownia. Suruburile cu cap plat pot fi aduse la acelasi nivel cu suprafata. Paulownia crescut pe plantatie, de obicei, nu are noduri.

Prelucrarea
Paulownia a fost utilizat n mare masura n orient mai mult de 1000 de ani pentru mobilier de calitate superioara, instrumente muzicale, sculpturi si finisaje decorative. Poate fi cojit pentru furnir. Modelele complexe pot fi taiate cu un ferastrau mecanic sau un ferastraubanda fara a se despica cu usurinta. Paulownia a fost favoritul multor sculptori din Asia si

America . Pot fi realizate mobiliere, usi si ferestre la tolerante strnse. Pot fi aplicate toate materialele obisnuite de finisare si se lipeste bine cu adeziv.

Stabilitatea
Uscarea la aer dureaza mai putin de 30 de zile. Placajele pot fi uscate n cuptor, la temperaturi ridicate, n mai putin de 24 de ore, de la 10% la 12% continut de umiditate, fara nici o scorojire. Micsorarea raportata de la verde la uscarea n cuptor este de numai 2.2% radial si 4.0% tangential. Paulownia ramne stabil pe parcursul modificarilor de umiditate si resimte putine micsorari sau dilatari n comparatie cu majoritatea altor tipuri de lemn. Este foarte durabil si rezista descompunerii n conditiile lipsei de contact cu solul. Lemnul este rezistent la insecte.

Conductivitatea
Paulownia este un foarte bun izolator. Locuintele realizate din busteni de Paulownia sunt considerate a avea de doua ori factorul R, n comparatie cu bustenii de pin sau stejar. Aceasta rezistenta la temperatura i ofera lemnului o mai mare neinflamabilitate. Temperatura de aprindere este de aproximativ 400C, ce este aproape dubla fata de multi copaci conventionali americani de esenta tare si moale.

Caracterul atragator
Paulownia sunt arbori ce cresc repede si care au un aspect blond deschis, asemanator frasinului alb. Este colorat frumos cu o varietate de culori si poate fi facut sa imite alte materiale lemnoase. De ndata ce este rindeluit, un luciu matasos este scos la iveala. Senzatia la atingere este de asemenea foarte matasoasa.

Compoziia chimica
Hemiceluloza Pentosan 22, pna la 25%. Celuloza, 46 pna la 49%. Lignina, 21 pna la 23% Apa, 7 pna la 8% Cenusa. 50, pna la 1.1% Fibra, 58.5 pna la 60.1%

Paulownia FAQ
Is Paulownia toxic to wildlife?

Good Afternoon ...I am interested in raising Paulownia, either the tomentosa or catalpafolia, but need to ask about the toxic level of the plant prior to ordering seed from you. In my spare time, I assist a waterfowl rescue group. I live on 10 acres with a 1 acre pond in Southeast Texas. My personal waterfowl have access to most of my property (swans, ducks), plus I have an incredible amount of wild waterfowl and other wildlife that live/visit my property. I read on someone's web site that the Paulownia does have a toxic property, but it didn't say what or how. Are the seeds / leaves toxic if ingested? With all the wildlife there in Tennessee, I'm sure deer and birds have been exposed to both the seeds and leaves. Could you please let me know if the Paulownia tree will be harmful or not to my waterfowl / wildlife situation. THANK YOU !!! Karen S. Reply: Thank you for your interest and good question. The short answer is no, not to my knowledge. Here is my reasoning behind this answer. About myself, I have a BS degree from the College of Agriculture at UT Knoxville in 1976. It was it Wildlife and Fishers Sciences. So, I have a very good background in wildlife. Further, I have been studying, observing, and raising Paulownia since 1988. Yes, I too read bad things too about Paulownia on the internet. Mostly how invasive it is. This is not true! It is a non-native to North America. The germination requirements greatly limit its ability to be anything more then a companion tree to other species. Some people just want natives. Everything else is bad news. Toxic is something new to me. It would be good if you could refer me to that site to look into the matter more. This is what I have learned over the years about Paulownias danger to wildlife. 1. 2. 3. 4. The Chinese feed the leaves to their live stock. Deer will eat the growing leaves and buds. The picture above has been eaten by deer. Look close and you will seed the damage as well as re budding growth. Though seed have little energy value, I have observed small birds getting the seed from the seed pods in the fall of the year. I have personally eaten young, tender, 8 week old Paulownia leaves in years past. I had have no ill effects. It is quite tasty, much like spinach or lettuce! Hope that helps,

Does seed propagation produce bad seedlings? I read that clones are superior.

Seed propagation does not produce bad seedlings! You just my not get the seedling you want. Genetics phenotype is the real question, not the health of the seedlings! With seed, you have unknown traits that will not be discovered until 5 to 20 years later. With clones, nothing is unknown. You have an exact copy of the mother tree. Tissue cultures are nothing more then clone trees that have been replicated through micro-propagation. The old fashion method of cloning is to use root cuttings. For example, some people want to grow the paulownia trees slow for the Japaneses markets; you do not want a tree that has superior growth. You would want a tree to have the genetics to put most of its energy into seed production, not wood production (slow growth). This way the annual growth rings could average 6 to 8 per inch. You may want a tree that has a higher resistant to sun scald damage, or more tolerant to high clay content and poor drainage, or drought, or has more terminal growth, etc. You need to know what the clones better edge before you buy! As for seed, there are 3 things in their favor. 1. 2. 3. They are cheap! For investments, the less money used in the initial investment, the easier it is to make a profit. You get variance in the genetics. If planted thick, the trees most suitable for the site by natural selection and your needs can be selected as they grow. The others would scum to your saw. Since you started them form seed, you control their health. There are no issues with damage during the shipping process. You can get very healthy seedlings!

Personal, I have raised both types of seedlings. What I have found is my seed have both under performed and out performed paulownia clones. Most times, quality seed trees tend to produce quality trees which equals that of the internet's "superior clones" or even some times surpasses them. I have found that a excellent site selection/preparation effects performance the most. The point I wish to make is: MOST ALL PAULOWNIA HAS THE GENETIC POTENTIONAL FOR FAST GROWTH IN THE EARLY YEARS, BUT GENTICS IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR, IT IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL. Site selection (soil depth, drainage, orientation with the sun, wind protection) is just as important for good growth rates, along with length of growing season, fertility, moisture, weed control! The reason for the poor growth in the left picture is the soil. The left picture the top soil is deep & lose. The second picture, the top soil was little, with a hard pan underneath. In summary, if your paulownia does not grow as expected, it may not be the trees fault! Paulownia are VERY site sensitive. Any site, less then ideal, will have dramatic effects upon growth rates. I only got 18 inches for this clone elongata. Good genetics does not fix a poor site!!!! The bottom line, if you go with clones, be sure the mother tree is superior for your specific needs and those need justify there high cost! The low cost of seed makes it easier to make a profit. If not for sure...... Start a test plot from seed. After the trees show themselves, pick the ones you like, dig some of their roots when dormant, and wa la,; you have their clones. Return of investment is the real question!

Hope that helps,

What is the best Paulownia for lumber?

After 20 plus years, I am still learning. Here in the states, elongata is the lumber tree of choice for lumber. However, all 4 species I offer make excellent lumber trees. You really need to match the tree with the climate. Tomentosa, can take the coldest weather, zone (6a -10 Fahrenheit). Elongata can go to zone 6 b or (7a 0 to -5 Fahrenheit). Fortunei only to zone 10 (30 to 35 Fahrenheit). For fast growth here in the States, elongata seems to be the tree of choice in the South. Tomentosa is more suited in the colder climates where the growing seasons are shorter. For Indonesia where temperatures rarely get to freezing, fortunei would be the tree of choice. Just match the tree to the climate! Hope that helps,

Why cant or shouldn'tt you use sunlight and artificial light to get them to germinate.
First, let me state you can use sunlight with artificial light. That what nature uses. However, you must be careful. In nature, one seed out of a million may make it through the germination stage. My directions are design to minimize errors and to maximize seed germination; where you have total control of the environment. The issue with sunlight is: it can vary from day to day and will vary from hour to hour. Sometimes it can get quiet intense. Have you ever been in a car, windows up, middle of the summer, full sun, and cloudless day? Well, the seed cover in a clear plastic dome to help keep the moisture and humidity in. A full bright sun can cook your seed. If you must use the sun, use a cheese cloth (shading) that will still allow the light to enter, but will not hold the heat in. The intensity of the sunlight is so strong, there will still be plenty of light energy t get the seedlings up and started. Second, there will be a lot more moisture lost each day without the clear plastic dome covering the flat to hold it in. To overcome this issue, it is best to continually water the flat by the wick method. Here is how it works: Make sure your flat (holding the potting mix and seed) has holes in the bottom of it. Take a second flat that has a solid bottom for holding the water. Flats are usually 2 to 3 inches deep. Take the solid bottom flat and fill 25% to no more than 50% full. Take the first flat containing the soil less mix/ seed and place it on top of the water. It should want to float at first, then eventually settle to the bottom. At regularly intervals, (before the mix dries out) add water only to the second flat (no more than 50% full). The water will wick up to the first flat, keeping it moist at all times. You cannot over water tiny paulownia seedlings during the first 3 to 4 weeks of the germination process. Hope that helps,

What fertilizer formula is best during Primary stage in the greenhouse and what dosage in grams/seedling?
I use an even blend of water soluble. The brand currently is Miracle-Grow. I have used Peters in past years. Bottom Line: any even blend water soluble brand should do just fine. I have an instrument that measures the concentration. I keep it at about 700 ppm (part per million). If you do not have a salt meter to measure pm, the second method to measure would be to follow the direction on the package but dilute the fertilizer by half (50%). You can always put more on if needed. However, you can not take it off once your seedlings get burned and start dying off! Never use any fertilizer at first! Commercial mixes usually have a slight amount to get seedlings started. If you do.....You may have an algae problem. (Yes, the germination environment needs to be that moist for the first 2 weeks!) I start using it after the seed have fully germinated, which is usually 3 weeks. I will water will this mix till the seedling are deep dark green. Once out in the field, nitrogen should be all you need. In 2010, I have applied about 0.5 pounds of 34/0/0 around each paulownia seedling when set out. Just out of roots reach (no closer then 9 inches from the stem). I did a second application about 6 weeks later, putting on 1.0 pounds of 34/0/0. The seedling ate it like candy and got between 7 and 12 feet tall that season. Hope that helps,

Water need: how many liters/tree/day is needed is average?

For germination, you can not over water paulownia. The soil less starter mix needs to be saturated with water. But that is only for the first 2 weeks after sowing the seed. By week 4 and on, the mix only needs to be moist to touch. In the field, it is better to under water. Over watering can kill the seedlings. The soil needs to be well aerated or fungi pathogens will attack the roots. This is why Paulownia does poorly in clays. The soil is tight and will not easily allow the water to drain or the air to enter the soil. Personal, when setting out non-dormant seedlings in the field, I water heavy the day of setting. This is where I actually make a concave area of about 18 inches in diameter with the deepest spot in the center at 2 to 4 inches deep. The seedling goes in the center. The concavity is filled with water till it can hold no more and left standing to soak in. I may or may not water again. It all depends upon if we get rainy weather. My judgment call for more water the for the first year is leaf wilt. Unlike most trees, Paulownia will show when it is in water stress. The leaves will droop! When you water, the leaves will perk back up. No damage or lost. Wither right or wrong, I have never water Paulownia after the first year. It does cost $$$ to water and I have done so to established my seedlings the first year. If you want to push Paulownia to its full growth potential, I would suggest using a quality soil moist meter, find the sweet number on the meter, and pour it on.

Paulownia Seed
Introduction
Germinating paulownia seed is a fun, easy, and inexpensive method of getting started in the paulownia experience. You can do it at your home without a lot of money tied up in a greenhouse or beds, and you can raise over 1,000 small seedlings in a 6 square foot area. All you need is:

enough artificial lights heat moisture soil less potting mix containers paulownia seed my directions and tech support.

My method gets you through the germination problems associated with Paulownia and to the point where the little trees want to grow.

About Our Seed

Directions are included with all seed orders We are always available by phone or e-mail for support. We guarantee germination when our directions are followed. Seed packs contains enough seed to germinate 1 flat, about 200 to 400 seedlings. Bulk seed contains enough seed to germinate 15 flats about 3,000 to 6,000 seedlings. It is best suited for larger projects. One ounce contains about 150,000 seed. One pound contains about 2,500,000 seed. It depends upon the species.

Advantages of seed

They are cheap! The less money used in the initial investment, the easier it is to make a profit. You get genetic variance. If planted at higher density, the trees most suitable for the site and your needs will show themselves.The less desirable trees would scum to your saw. Since you started them from seed, you control their health. There are no issues with damage during the shipping process. You can get very healthy seedlings!

Germination Requirements
Seed require bright lights to germinate! 700 foot-candles of energy or more. Seed must remain moist 100% of the time 24hours/7days/week. Do not sow the seed at a high density. They need room to grow. No more than 1 tablespoon per flat (20" x 10") No fertilizer during the germination process (fertilizer will grow algae) Humidity is best at 90% to 100% The best temperature range is 70 to 85F No weed, pests, or diseases (use fresh commercial soil-less mixes for soil)

Paulownia Seed Storage

Paulownia seed store very well. I have personally tested seed viability after 7 years of dry storage at room temperatures. Rates were low (<10%), but I could still get some to sprout. When stored between 33F to 39F (in a dry environment), I lost about 10% germination each year. Fresh seed have a germination rate of 90%. Hybrids are much less. Fresh seed require no stratification to break dormancy. So, if you plan to do long term storage of several years, use your refrigerator.

Paulownia Seed Characteristics

Paulownia tomentosa fruit and seed have the following statistics: other species are similar

3100/ Bushel

Fruit
Seed Seed per fruit-bushel Seeds per pounds Moisture content Seeds per mature tree 2033/ Fruit 2.2 Pounds 2,820,000 Seeds 7% in Fall 20,000,000 Seeds

* Dr. George M. Hopper 10/1996 Annual American Paulownia Meeting The wing seed are very tiny (0.055-0.12 " long) and dispersed by wind. Seed should be collected after they have ripened, but before they open. The change in color from green to dark green is a good index for collection. The seed comes from a fruit called a pod. It is ovoid, woody, egg-shaped capsules about one inch to two inches long. The capsules turns dark brown in the fall and remains on the tree through the winter.

Summary
In short, we are here to serve you with materials and the correct information to get you started in your own paulownia adventure. If cost is an issue, seed are a good method to overcome some of the initial cost. Thanks for visiting!