Search for Evasive "Invasive" Leads to Persuasive Alternative(?)

OK – before you start your reply about how invasive Paulownia elongata or tomentosa actually is in your area, let me just point out that this thread isn’t about disputing that.  Nor is it intended to ‘expose’ a blantant oversight perpetrated by frenzied Paulownia enthusiasts.  This is a simple post about a plant-hunting adventure I had yesterday that I thought was worth sharing with you compsand/hws and nature-dudes out there in Swayville. So, sit back and relax, and save the drama for Obama . . .

 

Well, it all started after a light lunch and heavy beer yesterday afternoon.  I dizzily considered what had to be done in the shop before settling in for the evening.  Realizing that most work that I’d lined up for the afternoon revolved around the table and band saws, and a spiral router bit, I decided to use my better judgment on this one and go for a walk.  But, what is a walk without a purpose?  Sure, ultimately I needed to take walk to avoid losing some fingers, but besides that . . .the Ipod is busted, so I couldn’t sweat to any oldies . . . AH HA! Paulownia!

 

A lot of these threads here on Sways lately have gotten me a bit more interested in my paulownia trees that I started from seed earlier this summer, though recently suffered the fate of being eaten to the ground by (I think) grasshoppers.  Well, I’ve planted new seeds since then, but have heard about the increased growth rate achieved by propagation from root cuttings.  Aware of the ‘invasiveness’ of this species, and the existence of at least one seed-bearing tree in the immediate area, I decided to go on a wild P.elongata hunt, and come back with a root cutting that I could grow over winter in the greenhouse. 

 

I put together a ‘job bag’ which included a set of garden shears, some plastic shopping bags, paper towels, a potting spade, my camera, and some bottled water and set off by foot. My first stop was the blooming/seed-spewing tree itself, about a mile from my house.  I found it earlier in the year, intentionally planted in the center of a plot of ground near a barber shop.  It is in full bloom now, and the scent from it is intense - incredibly pleasing and sweet.  

 

A couple blocks from this tree are rail-road tracks, and a couple blocks north on the other side of the tracks is an abandoned gravel pit.  What better place to find progeny than a pit right next to a wind-swept corridor, a few blocks from a tree whose individual seed pods hold 1500-2000 paper-light seeds? 

 

I made my way from the ‘mother’ tree to the tracks and headed north along them until I found an opening in the chain-link fence surrounding the gravel pit.  Hanging from some of the bent wire around the opening was a plastic shopping bag with something in it.  It seemed to have been intentionally hung there, so I unhooked it and took a look inside. ‘Interesting’, I thought, ‘the latest issue of Booty-Licious magazine.  Looks like it’s never been opened . . .’ Just as I was thinking that, it became pretty apparent why – eeeeewwww . . .  I folded the magazine, put it into the plastic bag and hung it back on the fence where I found it before climbing down into the pit. 

 

Upon reaching the bottom of the slope that led into the pit I looked ahead toward some movement that caught my attention.  About 15-20ft in front of me was a large red and grey fox. It sat for a few seconds, looking at me, but became uncomfortable as we made eye-contact.  It turned around and took off, but not in an overtly frightened/run-for-your-life manner – rather, a jog. Huh – definitely topped the Booty-Licious experience minutes earlier.

 

The pit itself was amazing, and seemed to envelope an entire ecosystem. There were high lands, a valley, a swamp, sandy desert area, and trees and plants of all varieties. Only problem: no paulownia.  It was difficult to believe considering the pit’s proximity to the blooming tree, which showed evidence of prior seed production.

 

Disappointed, I crawled from the pit, out through an opening in the fence in the northern corner near the tracks and continued my trek.  I saw an astounding variety of plants, that on any other day would have forced me to stop and take some cuttings from for growing at home. Yesterday, however, I was in it for one thing only. 

 

A couple miles down the track I looked towards some dense growth near the edge, and was attracted by a flush of large leaves a few yards in.  Not wearing my glasses, I had to walk into the forested area to get a better look.  The leaves I was initially attracted to turned out to be something else all together – a broad-leafed showy vine that smothered everything underneath it.  Kudzu? No – but similar, and although it wasn’t what I was looking for I stepped in for a closer look. 

 

As I approached the vine and the small tree that it was smothering, I was shocked – almost startled to discover that the tree being strangled by the vine was the wild paulownia I’d been after!  It was a sad little tree that had apparently suffered a bit, as it had multiple shoots emerging from a trunk that had been cut to the ground at some point, and a free-floating adventitious root system that loosely anchored it to the forest floor – most of them dry and dead.  Besides its appearance though, that little tree certainly expressed a fighting spirit - one that made me proud to take a small sample from it in hopes of passaging its strength and beauty into a more suitable and fruitful environment.  I carefully removed an 18” surface root section from the tree, pulled some of those nasty vines from it, and wished it the best of luck.  I cut the root section into a few pieces, placed them into a plastic bag with the paper towels, and soaked them with the bottled water in order to keep them fresh before transplanting.

 

 

 

A couple blocks ahead I saw an opening to an abandoned lot that would lead me to a main paved road that would lead me home.  As I reached the end of the lot nearest the paved road, my attention was again diverted to what I thought was a substantial out-cropping of paulownia trees in the southern corner– the mother load! 

 

As I approached the trees, it soon became clear that they were not paulownia, but something I was unfamiliar with.  The leaves were very similar in size and shape, but a bit more lobed than P.elongata leaves.  The real give-away was the trunk – it’s green.  The whole way up this straight-as-an-arrow, paulownia look-alike tree, is wintergreen bark.I took a photo of the trunk and a leaf to help with the identification of it once I made it home. 

 

  

 

A little research led me to find out that the tree is Firmiana simplex or “Chinese parasol , Japanese varnish, bottle or phoenix tree”.  It is related to the cacao tree, but quite a bit more tolerant in terms of climate, light, and soil conditions. I also found out that its lumber is prized by Asian luthiers because of its superior sonic qualities, strength, straight grain, and ability to grow 6-8ft/year.  Also of interest is that among the type of luthiers using this wood, is it’s classification among two other woods in what are referred to as ‘t’ong’ woods.  The two other species?: Cedar and paulownia.  Also turns out to be a valuable and somewhat rare ornamental (although it appears to be an invasive in Texas).   

 

Well, after learning this you know I had to go back and grab a couple of the smaller ones to grow out.  Here are some pics of those little buggers that I transplanted this afternoon.  I feel pretty confident about them surviving the transplant after seeing those bulky storage roots attached. 

 

 

 

Well, hope that was enjoyable for you saw-dust breathin’, tree-huggin’, poineerin’ adventurers out there. 

Any of you plant or lumber guys know anything about this one?  What’s your experience?