Family: Paulowniaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Paulownia fortunei (empress diamond) is a fast-growing deciduous tree native to southern China, northern Indochina, and Taiwan. It is known for its large, heart-shaped leaves, attractive pale purple flowers, and rapid growth rate. In cultivation, it is often valued as a timber tree because its wood is lightweight, straight-grained, and resistant to warping, making it useful for furniture, veneers, musical instruments, and specialty wood products. It is also sometimes planted as an ornamental shade tree due to its broad canopy and showy spring blooms.

Risks & Threats
Paulownia fortunei is generally considered to have relatively low invasive potential compared to some other fast-growing exotic trees, especially in well-managed landscapes. While it can grow quickly under favorable conditions, it does not typically form dense, self-sustaining wild populations in most environments where it is planted. In some regions, seedlings may occasionally appear, but spread is usually limited and manageable. Overall, its main concerns are related to its vigorous growth and management in cultivation rather than significant ecological threat, making it a lower-risk choice for planting when appropriately monitored.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate tolerance
  
• Native to tropics/subtropics
  
• Widely introduced globally
  
• Congeneric weed (P. tomentosa)
  
• Tolerates varied soils (pH 5.5–8.5)
  
• Produces viable seed
  
• Hybridizes naturally
  
• Wind-dispersed winged seeds
  
• Prolific seed production
  
• Tolerates coppicing

Low Risk Traits:

• Not naturalized elsewhere
  
• Not weedy
  
• No spines, allelopathy, or parasitism
  
• Palatable & non-toxic to animals
  
• Not shade tolerant
  
• Herbicide-sensitive