Please help me help my neighbor w/ paulownia

I'm hoping to get some helpful information for my elderly neighbor. He ordered a tree called Paulownia Tomentosa. The ad said it grows a foot every time you water it!
Of course I think it's too good to be true. Grows more in a month than other shade trees grow in an entire year?! How good is that?
He thought it would have blooms by now (second year). I thought it was elephant ears, but he told me it's a tree he ordered.
I told him I'd try to find some information on my plant site, so can anyone help me help him?
Thank you, Elizabeth

Invasive if my memory serves me. I think it is called an empress tree.
You should google it and see if it is invasive in your climate.

Here in Japan this tree is an invasive weed. Does a little too well in hot, wet, humid climates, I think this also the case in
the south western U,S. My neighbor has one in his front garden and it's not by any means unattractive. The Japanese love to prune and shape almost everything, I think that keeps it in check. As for me, I use the fallen leaves for compost.

pajonica

I would would question this as a shade tree, I always thought these weren't shade tolerant.

pajonica

I think by "shade tree" she meant a tree that creates shade, not one that needs to grow in shade.

Paulownia is invasive in many areas of the country--I know it's a problem in the southeast and here's a TX invasives site that lists it so I probably wouldn't recommend that your neighbor plant it http://www.texasinvasives.org/invasives_database/detail.php?symbol=PATO2 Here's the Plant Files entry if you want some more info http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/391/ It does grow very quickly, although a foot each time you water is a bit of an exaggeration.

Well you know those ads and the way they make people think their product is "GREAT".
He has planted it in the middle of his yard. He really believed it would be a giant by now. He ordered it out of a magazine for 3.98. It appears it might spread to all the yards? And a weed? Wow. A big one.
I'm going to try and figure a way to tell him without crushing him. He works so hard in his yard. He's a widow and up in years. He talked about that tree last night like he was so proud.
Thanks for the links. I'm going to read them and try to find the "better" points about it to tell him.

The (sort of) good news about it is in your yard, seedlings will probably get mowed down, or they're relatively easy to pull so you & the other neighbors probably won't see too much impact from it. The problem with it is when the seedlings get out into un-cultivated areas where somebody's not mowing them down or pulling them, that's where it becomes a problem and why it's considered invasive.

It won't look like a weed - it will be a tree. Just google photos to show him. I think it makes pretty flowers too. Since he is up in his years, I guess he was going for the supergrowth factor since not all that many years to watch it grow. (Hey Elizabeth ...you aren't 22 years old and describing a man 'up in his years' that is only 50 ish are you??) Because then he does have a 'few' years to watch a tree grow!! (smile) I bet if you explained it's negatives (invasiveness) he may not be interested in it in his yard either. Maybe you can find him a pomegranate --- great orange flowers.... male and female ---which is sort of neat...and he can observe the fruit as it grows..etc. etc. It is a pretty tree/shrub and interesting (although not something you would put smack dab center yard as a specimen)

I wish I was 22 again:) I'm guessing maybe in his 70's. He lives across the street and we live in duplexes. He's out in the yard early in the mornings and late afternoons, but he has a beautiful yard and the yard connected to him he keeps up also. His is the greenest on the block:) I'm jealous:):)
I'm going to print the information out for him.
Thanks for the heads up on the seeds!

Paulownia will send its windborne seeds all over creation and they frequently lodge next to a building foundation. Then as the tree takes off (and it can easily grow over a foot per year) it can crack the foundation.

Actual photo of damage from seedling:

I am sure the seedling that caused this came from a tree that is up the street from me. The tree isn't even pretty; granted the purple blossoms are nice but short lived. The pods are not attractive. It is just a very destructive, invasive weed that should be culled whenever it is found! (In my humble opinion!)

I'm guessing that's why they sell it so cheap!! I laughed to myself when I found out it's a weed!!! I tried to tell him in some parts it's a weed but I don't think he cares. I will be aware if one pops up in my yard. How long does it take for them to get to the stage of spreading?
Thanks for all the info

Maybe someone else can tell you how long it takes to bloom from first germination. But when you see the pretty flowers, then the seed pods are coming and from then on you have to scour your yard, especially building foundations, for the seedlings. I killed the tree that cracked the foundation but since that time have noticed others sprouting (from new seeds) along the same area and I have to keep the Roundup handy. I know exactly where the mother tree is but it belongs to my neighbor up the street and there isn't much I can do about it.

This tree/weed is right across the street from me. This is the second year he's had it. He planted it last spring I think. Since I rent maybe I'll be gone by the time it starts spreading its seeds?!
I hate it cause he sure is proud of it:) It's sad how alot of elderly people get dupped into these "special offers". At least he only bought one.

He only HAD to buy ONE! He will have more soon enough. He can go into the distribution business! (smile) Well, I hope that his little tree brings him joy watching it grow. You are right, he is elderly and I can understand why he wants something that will give quick results.

You may find this link informative
http://www.google.co.jp/search?q=paulownia+tomentosa+tree&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3DVFA_enJP244JP282&aq=t

I bought 3 of these expecting a miracle. They grew straight up and looked like a stick with large leaves. Then the next year another stick sprouted along side the original. True they grew quite fast but not as fast as claimed and they never flowered for me. I could not get rid of it by cutting, we had to dig it out the root with a backhoe. Dont get this plant if you live in my zone.

pajonica- thanks for the link. That's neat about planting one with the birth of a baby girl. I'll let Mr. Pierce know the information.

puplover- It does look like a big stick with leaves right now. It's the second year it's been there. He said he thought it died last year but came back. I let him know it was hard to kill.

You're welcome.

pajonica

ejennings this was my worst mistake; the magazines should not be allowed to sell them in New England. Seriuosly, this could not be removing by cutting, the stalk came back larger and so tall, I could use it for a flag pole. Because cutting it off did not kill it, we had to wrap it in chains, partially dig with the backhoe and pull,it came out in pieces it was as bad as a 25 year old tree stump.

so glad I decided to check this forum out before I bought one, I saw a pic on the marketplace & sent off an inquiry. That'll be the end of that.

His is growing tall, He's been cutting the big leaves off the bottom. I tried to tell him but he's hoping it will bloom next year. There's a field next to us and I imagine in a few years it will have some. I know the landylady wouldn't want it in that yard if she knew. She lives right next door. (duplexes)
It's sounds like once you get one it's impossible to get rid of.
Elizabeth

Oh, but they look SO cool. I'm still wanting one.........................LOL

Anna, yes, this tree is lovely while flowering; but that timespan is brief, and for the rest of the year the tree is an unattractive and highly invasive pest. When we used to live in northern VA, mimosa trees infested every roadside and freeway interchange, crowding out all native plants. Here in western NC, every one planted produces boatloads of seedlings that infest yards up to half a mile away. Like ailanthus/Tree of Heaven, quick results are the only motive for planting this tree, and it will come back to bite you, time and time again, as well as everyone within half a mile or so.

my neighbors tree is now a 15 foot stick. It doesn't have leaves or anything:)
Hopefully spring it will be prettier??

It'll get its leaves back at least. I think they can take a number of years to bloom so I don't know if he'll get flowers or not.

Well, I don't think ANY tree can be as invasive as those crappy Chinese elms my in-laws planted here. "Because they grew fast" was the reason. They are disgusting. You sneeze and the yard is full of twigs and small branches. You ought to see what a good stiff wind does.

My neighbor got his because it grows fast. It looks silly right now. He oughtta wrap lights around it. LOL