Princess-tree

Paulownia tomentosa

Found in roadsides, disturbed areas, roadcuts, forests. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

—

Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 30–50 feet
Spread: 20–30 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

See native alternatives

Paulownia tomentosa — foliage photograph — (c) Henry Miller, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

Plant this instead

Your county

Choose your county to list local plants first.

Blackjack Oak
Quercus marilandica
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow or green.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Bluejack Oak
Quercus incana
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Dry to somewhat dry. Flowers: Yellow or green.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Cockspur Hawthorn
Crataegus crus-galli
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Dry to average. Flowers: White.
Similar growth form, height, spread

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: April to June
Fruiting season: September to October

JFMAMJJASOND

Recorded in 8 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Named place / source context. Shown: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia, a neighboring state.Trail on Little Kennesaw Mountain., Unidentified in HFC record, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Paulownia

Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Paulowniaceae
Hardiness: Zones 5a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Pink or purple
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single crown
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: September
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Pink or purple” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “September” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Single crown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 5a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “30–50 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “20–30 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Empress Tree; Paulownia; Princess Tree

Conservation status

Florida rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source