purple flowering tree along roads?

OK. I admit to not doing a lot of research here.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of tree is blossoming on the woodland edge along the highways here in Maryland. It is not a very large tree. The blooms look like an upright lilac bloom from a distance. But they look like a deeper purple and have a loose truss, if you can call it a truss?

A quick and lazy Google from my phone has me guessing Paulownia tomentosa mainly because I enjoy the name. Any guesses? Concerns?

To the jokers: It is not wisteria.

This message was edited May 9, 2013 6:30 PM

Look up Crape Myrtle and see if that's it.

It is not a crape myrtle. Our crape myrtles don't bloom until much later and I haven't seen them growing in the wild yet. However, this is about the furthest north you will see them though. They are loved for their later flush of pinks, red and purples.

I have never seen a myrtle this purple either. It is very bold.

Thanks though.

Well, without a picture of the features of the trees, I guess it's a matter of doing a google search until you identify it.

Someone in Virginia posted about her tree blooming now and it is Paulownia, blooming with little or no leafing yet. Paulownia is the only thing I can think of. Catalpa is later I think, and not that purple? Good thing you warned me...wisteria is in bloom here.

Paulownia, and a pest tree. Planted for land reclamation and VERY invasive...

Doug

USDA Plants does not have a MD county by county map, but the VA one shows it in every county bordering us, and pretty much every county in the eastern 3/4ths of the state. I'll have to keep my eyes open.

Yeah it is definitely Paulownia. It looks interesting right now though but the leaves look pretty gross. I don't see that many, maybe half a dozen in a ten mile stretch. Is that invasive?

Anything with the name Paul in it is worth looking in to.

Thanks for your help everybody. You learn something everyday!

Paul :)

Plant one and you'll have fifteen in 6 years.......Kinda like Mimosa.

Ugh now that is invasive here. Well there are a hundred other trees to plant before I plant a paulownia.

I know of a few PAUL ownia in Catonsville, have not noticed them around here. but WAAAYYY more Callery pears and Ailanthus around this area.

They will come up everywhere. I was hoping what you saw was a redbud

I was hoping redbud as well.
Look at the leaves- Paulownia leaves are enormous.

Paulownia's are the devils own tree:
I had two ancient Paulownia's removed from the front yard of our new house in May of '07. I had the roots ground out as deep as the largest grinder would go. The roots shoots that came up that year were horrendous- one every foot covering the entire yard. It was literally a daily chore to keep up with them- I went out every single morning spring through summer to cut them by the HUNDREDS. They were impossible to pull.

They came up again equally as bad in '08.

In '09 they slowed down a bit on my property but began seeking new areas as I saw them in neighbor yards- not only on the adjoining properties but across the street as well.

Spring of '10- three full years since I had the trees taken out- and I was still getting shoots.
THREE YEARS!
By '11 I only got two or three and was FINALLY able to close the chapter on this horrendous experience.

They are one tenacious tree.

No the redbuds have come and gone. It is one of the last trees to flower. What a shame. I only spotted one this morning but I suppose one is enough.

wow Cearbhill...

Yup Paul- I have seen the pods and the zillion seeds floating out....

Well that is unfortunate. Another nasty tree making its way around the country.

Cearbhaill - I knew what you would say before I read your post. Those roots I have heard are something else. And now you got the neighbors trees to worry about. Whew.

Fortunately none of the neighbors allowed any of the root shoots to live.

You all will enjoy this discussion...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1311922/

What are the odds!!!?! Unreal.

Too funny

I would LOVE to trade for a couple of Paulownia trees - anyone want to trade with me?

Did I miss something?

KayJones- I think you are barking up the wrong tree. I certainly would not recommend growing the tree and I know little about it other then what I have read here.

Maybe we can find another tree that would be better suited for your yard and not quite as invasive.

What attracts you to it? The color? The bloom?

Perhaps a Camellia?
A great resource for Florida residents: http://floridayards.org/fyplants/

No - I have had this tree a couple of times, grown in a 50-gallon pot, and for some reason, they didn't live - this is the tree I have on my wish list.

I have seen Paulownia trees in Northern NJ and OH and have never seen any problem with over population. The blooms can be canceled by frost some years. The trees are more unusual here. They were sold by the type of nursery that advertise in Sunday supplements. Some members of my garden club have Crepe Myrtle, but they die during the winter and come back from the roots in the Spring. I covered mine last fall and it is leafing out now.
Herman

Herman makes a reasoned point - to the extent of his experience.

He should extend that reasoning to the logical conclusion that gardeners share plants, and nature shares plants through wind, water, and faunal activities.

Plants with invasive tendencies get a gigantic boost in their predilection to invade and obliterate local plant communities through these means - not just through the nefarious or mercenary activities of less-than-reputable business activities.

Don't expect that a plant will stay put by the occasional act of frost/freeze.

I've observed them for many years and I think the only conclusion is that they just don't like Yankee soil. Now, Albizza, that can get invasive.

Herman

I wonder if Kay's don't do well because the root doesn't like the pot. By nature of its growth rate those roots want to go far and wide quickly to support that height - a pot might not fit the bill.

Terp, what a timely post. While driving in Virginia, I noticed a mass of purple flowers that looked kind of like wisteria. Then I remembered seeing this post. It seems the paulownia's all over the highways near DC. It's disheartening to hear they're invasive in this region. I would hate for the paulownia to displace our wonderful native trees and non-invasive exotics.

Those you who might be interested in visiting a place where one can see mature examples of this truly horrible tree might try a peek here:
http://plantexplorer.longwoodgardens.org/weboi/oecgi2.exe/INET_ECM_DispPl?NAMENUM=14886&DETAIL=1

Some types of wisteria invasive also -- I think. Chinese?

yes Bob isn't it seemingly strange that they still have those?

Longwood Gardens' plants are an example of historic preservation. I would disagree that maintaining (or re-establishing) such a well-known pest plant is necessary in this instance. I think interpretation on plaques, and replacement with trees of similar habit, structure, texture, effect, etc. would be sufficient (Catalpa sp., for example).

This species is infesting most of the French Broad River corridor in TN and NC (along I-40 especially), and is a large problem for the national forest properties in the Appalachian region.