Foxglove Tree

Commonly known as the Foxglove tree, this pretty and unusual tree was introduced from China in 1834. Its wood has been used for many years to make furniture.

In its native environment, a mature tree can produce up to 20 million seeds per year.

With a slightly unusual name, Paulownia tomentosa was named after Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Czar Paul 1 and wife of Prince Willem of the Netherlands.

The Foxglove tree grows interestingly. Its vast, bright green, hairy leaves, which can reach up to 30cm across, appear directly from the tree's bare wood.

At Barcham, we prune the crowns of the trees very hard when they are containerised; however, each spring, we are rewarded with a vigorous flush of new growth and foliage.

This fast-growing tree forms a round-headed tree at maturity and produces its flower cases in the autumn for flowering the following May.

In England, this tree does not flower as readily as it does in its native land, as winter temperatures dip below 5 degrees C, which can cause flower cases to become damaged. However, despite this, in recent years, this tree has been displaying many flowers, especially in London, where it has been planted as a street tree.

This tree is tolerant of air pollution and will thrive in most soil types.

Given that the flower of Paulownia tomentosa is a little sensitive to lower temperatures in the winter, this tree does best in sunny, reasonably sheltered sites.

It is a great tree to use as an architectural statement in a sunny corner of the garden, where it has the space to grow to its potential. It is also a good alternative to Catalpa if you are looking for something a little different.

Mature height: 12-17m

Common names

Foxglove Tree

Height of tree

12-17m

Soil type

Well drained, Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Rounded

Blossom Colour

Purple

Foliage Colour

Green

Information Flags

Bark interest

Looks good in

Spring

Location

Garden, Parkland

Genus

Paulownia