- Botanical name: Paulownia tomentosa
- Common name: Foxglove tree
- Family: Paulowniaceae
- Plant Type: Tree, Deciduous
Purple
White
Green
- Key features:
- Dramatic foliage
- Flowers
The foxglove or empress tree, Paulownia tomentosa, is a deciduous, fast-growing tree native to China. It’s primarily grown for its giant leaves and panicles of foxglove-shaped blooms.
If left unpruned, the foxglove tree will quickly grow to form an attractive tree. However, the biggest leaves result from pruning it to the ground each year, in late winter. The result is strong, vigorous growth with huge leaves. As it flowers on wood grown the previous year, plants pruned each year won’t produce flowers.
For best results, grow Paulownia tomentosa in full sun or dappled shade in a sheltered spot in moist, well-drained soil, though it’ll grow well in most soils.
How to grow Paulownia tomentosa
-
Plant size
12m height
8m spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
- Sun exposure: Full sun, dappled shade
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy / clay / heavy / moist / chalky / alkaline / acidic
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do Sow in March |
A
Do Sow in April |
M
Do Sow in May |
J
Do not Sow in June |
J
Do not Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do Sow in September |
O
Do Sow in October |
N
Do Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do not Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do Plant in November |
D
Do Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does not flower in July |
A
Plant does not flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Prune | ||||||||||||
| Prune |
J
Do not Prune in January |
F
Do not Prune in February |
M
Do Prune in March |
A
Do not Prune in April |
M
Do not Prune in May |
J
Do not Prune in June |
J
Do not Prune in July |
A
Do not Prune in August |
S
Do not Prune in September |
O
Do not Prune in October |
N
Do not Prune in November |
D
Do not Prune in December |
Paulownia tomentosa and wildlife
Paulownia tomentosa has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Paulownia tomentosa poisonous?
Paulownia tomentosa has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Paulownia tomentosa
