Is this a desirable tree?

That is what it looks like but to the right of this picture there were 7 more trees that were along the road that had also blown over. When this twister went through it left a swath of damage that varied in width from 50 feet to 200 feet and was approximately 50 miles long.
 
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I think of most invasives as biological pollution. They're just plants doing what plants do, can't blame them, and it is humans who screw things up by moving stuff around so much, but I think it's better to limit it than ignore it. Just because they're not diseases or insects like chesnut blight or HWA or whatever, doesn't mean they don't do damage.

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The way I see it we have one main invasive species. "Australopithicus afarensis". This species lived many millions of years ago and has been polluting the earth ever since. The main characteristic of this species is it can think. It thinks anything that does not fit into its self created "order of things" is wrong, bad, incorrect, invasive, and needs to be destroyed, controlled, illiminated or contained in some manner. I like a quote I saw on this board. "We need to think logically and bio-logically. Think of it from a plants perspective. Why the heck are they reproducing so aggressively. It's because we have created an environment conductive to their reproduction. A healthy woods is a biolocially stable entity that controls the growth of its "dwellers". What can exist in a woods does. What can't... well, it propagates itself in the wake of our destructio to the earth.

Treating plants as invasive species again does not get to the root of the problem.
 
Of course it doesn't get to the root of the problem, who said it did? It is only one other instance of stupid monkeys dealing with one other problem created by stupid monkeys. Well, smart primates. Still, not that smart. Just because you have an idea about the "big picture" doesn't mean that no one else does. Or that anyone is right. I mean, I'm just saying. I'm only expressing my opinion about non-native plants, doesn't mean I'm right, doesn't mean I have or don't have a broader world view. Right?
 
I don't know anything Paulowina, nor have I seen one, but the publication " American Forests" had an article about the tree.

Here is some trivia Paulowina tree facts, if I remember the article correctly.

The wood is highly prized in it's native Japan, during the 80's Japan was actually importing Paulowina wood for a short time from our country due to the scarcity of quality logs. Paulowina logs were a hot commodity here in the states for awhile, if the trees couldn't be found in the woods the trees were being cut and stolen during the night from city parks and private property that wasn't being watched. The market quickly got glutted and the bottom fell out of the Paulowina wood market as quickly as it had sprung up.

In Japan if a daughter was born into the family, the father would plant a Palowina tree. When the daughter was about to be married the father would cut the tree down and make a chest out of the wood and the chest would become part of the brides dowry for the husband to be.

Just some trivia, I have no idea if a Paulowina tree is an invasive species or not.

Larry
 
Paulownias aren't planted too much around here but they seem to do well. As said their main attributes are fast growth and lots of pretty flowers. I haven't seen any at all naturized in the Vancouver area.

They used to be sold in some nursery flyers that were always mailed out which touted them as some sort of miracle tree for their fast growth and flowers.
 
Tom , My Paulonia experience is miniscule I've seen a couple-trhey ARE pretty. Catalpa is also on my A list. Are you familiar with the Chitalpa? -Catalpa and Desert Willow hybrid that has just been introduced in my area in the last few years. Leaf size and shape is a split between parents. Flowers are pink and lovely. Growth habit is similar to the Catalpa and mature size is reported to be medium-about 40 feet max height (none are mature here but they are growing fast).
http://www.cuyamaca.edu/oh170/Thumbnail_Pages/Chitalpa_tashkentensis.asp
 
I've never heard of that one tree but catalpas',yes.They actually planted the things in groves ,for fence post stock.Of course planted close they grow up straight.The relatively soft wood is very rot proof.

It may sound odd but three" weed trees",osage orange,black locust and catalpa were all cultivated at one time for this very reason.
 
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