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Royal Empress Tree

Paulownia elongata

Nature Hills Nursery
$5951
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: The Royal Empress Tree thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily to support its rapid growth. While it can tolerate light afternoon shade in hot climates, a lack of sun will lead to weaker branches and fewer of its signature purple blooms.
  • Soil: These trees prefer well-drained, loamy soil but are famous for their ability to adapt to poor, rocky, or compacted ground. If you have heavy clay, mix in some organic compost at planting time to improve drainage, as "wet feet" or standing water can cause root rot.

Watering Requirements

During the first two growing seasons, water your tree deeply twice a week to ensure the roots establish a firm anchor in the soil. Once mature, the Royal Empress is remarkably drought tolerant, though a lack of deep watering during summer dry spells can result in smaller leaves and early leaf drop. Think of consistent moisture as the fuel that allows this tree to maintain its record-breaking growth speeds.

Pruning Tips

Since this tree blooms on old wood, you should only prune it immediately after the flowers fade in late spring. Use a "structural" approach by removing any crossing branches or narrow V-shaped crotches to prevent limb breakage during heavy winds. Pruning early in its life helps create a strong central leader, which acts like a sturdy backbone for the heavy canopy to follow.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring just as the buds begin to swell. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages soft, succulent growth that won't have time to "harden off" or toughen up before the first frost. This late-season growth is easily damaged by freezing temperatures, which can kill the tips of the branches and ruin next year's flower display.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6-12 Week of March 2nd


Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Plant Sentry Protected

Plant Sentry™ Protected

Your order is protected by our compliance system that:

  • Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
  • Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
  • Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases

Learn more about Plant Sentry™

World's Fastest Growing Tree, with Year-Round Appeal

  • Fastest Growing Hardwood Tree
  • Hardy
  • Jasmine Scented Flowers
  • Huge Leaves
  • Pest and Disease Resistant

The Royal Empress Tree (Paulownia elongata) is native to China, but has found a welcome home in the U.S. as the world's fastest growing shade tree. This miracle of nature can grow up to 15 feet in its first season.

Your Royal Empress tree will announce the arrival of spring with a spectacular display of bell shaped flowers that burst into bloom on cascading clusters of 8-12" blossoms. Their colorful display of lavender-kissed, pink and white will infuse the air with the fragrant scent of jasmine.

When the majesty of spring has passed, your friends and family will be amazed throughout the summer by the Empress' uniquely fuzzy leaves. These huge emerald green leaves can reach up to 3 feet across.

The Royal Empress tree can also filter toxins from the air at an amazing rate. In fact, your tree can capture more Carbon from the environment and convert it into pure, clean oxygen than almost any other tree in existence. As if all this weren't enough, during the winter months you will enjoy the adorable furry buds that cover your tree's branches as they await the first signs of spring to welcome them into new life.

The Royal Empress tree is super hardy and tolerant of almost any soil type although it does best in well-drained soils. It prefers sun or partial shade and is pest and disease resistant.

Your Empress will be an outstandingly easy to grow accent to your landscape, providing a full, rounded crown to shade your home in a fraction of the time most trees would require to do so.

We grow our Royal Empress Tree to be fast growing and strong. NatureHills.com partners with Plant Sentry™ to ensure all plants shipped to you are compliant with state and federal regulations. This means we won't ship plants to you that are invasive in your area, including Royal Empress.

Order now and it is sure to bring many years of beauty to your landscape.

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