What soil does Empress tree grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, calcareous.

Is Empress tree hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Empress tree be planted?

Plant it at least 6 m from buildings. Keep it at least 2.5 m from paving.

When does Empress tree flower?

Flowering: April–May, purple.

How much water does Empress tree need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Empress tree cost?

It sells for roughly €20 to €200 in local shops, depending on size.

What should I plant instead of Empress tree?

We do not recommend it because it is on the EU or the Hungarian list of invasive species. For a similar purpose we recommend: Indian bean tree, Manna ash, Crab apple 'Evereste', Japanese pagoda tree.

Empress tree

Paulownia tomentosa

Empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa) is a large tree. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Sold in local shops from about €20. We do not recommend it because it is on the EU or the Hungarian list of invasive species.

Illustration of Empress tree — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

An extremely fast-growing tree with huge, velvety, heart-shaped leaves that carries foxglove-like, pale violet, vanilla-scented flower panicles before the leaves and gives dense shade within a few years. It only suits a large garden, well away from buildings and paving, in a sheltered, sunny spot with well-drained soil: the wood is soft and brittle, the leaves and seed capsules make a lot of litter, and the flower buds are often killed in hard winters. It spreads strongly by seed and root suckers, so do not plant it next to semi-natural land and pull out the seedlings.

We do not recommend this plant

We do not recommend it because it is on the EU or the Hungarian list of invasive species. Further down we show what to plant instead.

Watch out for

It is a spreading alien species in Central Europe: the wind scatters its winged seeds by the thousand, seedlings take hold in wall cracks, beside paving and on disturbed ground, and a felled tree resprouts from the stump and from roots far from the trunk. In Hungary it is on the official list of invasive woody plants and may not be planted on public land, in Switzerland it has been banned from sale since 2024, and in Germany it is on a watch list. The flower buds form in summer and are killed by winter frost below about -18 °C, so in many years it does not flower; young shoots can also die back. The wood is soft and the branches hollow, so they break easily in wind, the big leaves and long-persisting seed capsules mean a lot of clearing up, and little else grows in its dense shade.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Medium
Care: High
Size after 10 years: 10 m × 7 m
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D April–May, purple

Group	Large tree
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	10 m × 7 m
Ultimate size	10–20 m × 8–12 m
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	April–May, purple
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	High
Root aggressiveness	Medium
Suckering	yes
Spreading	High
Distance from buildings	at least 6 m
Distance from paving	at least 2.5 m
Litter	Leaves, Fruit
Planting distance	1000 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	from about €20

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

What to plant instead

Recommended plants that do the same job, with similar characteristics.

Indian bean tree

Catalpa bignonioides 6 m × 5 m after 10 years

A fast-growing tree with a wide, open crown, huge heart-shaped leaves, fragrant white flowers in upright panicles in early summer and long, cigar-like…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €46

Manna ash

Fraxinus ornus 5 m × 3.5 m after 10 years

Manna ash is a medium-sized tree with a rounded crown that covers itself in creamy white, scented flower plumes around May and turns yellow to…

Large tree

Full sun

from about €71

Crab apple 'Evereste'

Malus 'Evereste' 5 m × 3 m after 10 years

'Evereste' is a small flowering tree with abundant spring blossom and colourful little apples that often remain on the branches into winter. Give it a…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €26

Japanese pagoda tree

Styphnolobium japonicum 6 m × 4 m after 10 years

A large shade tree with a rounded crown that flowers in the height of summer, when few other trees do, with creamy white, scented panicles that bees…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €200

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
40-60 cm	approx. €28
60-100 cm	approx. €34
80-100 cm	approx. €53
100-125 cm	approx. €70
150-175 cm	approx. €200
size not stated	approx. €20 – €140

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made

Compare with similar plants

Empress tree vs Black locust

Looks good next to it

Firethorn

Pyracantha coccinea

Ebbing's silverberry

Elaeagnus × ebbingei

Reflexed stonecrop

Sedum reflexum