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 7.5 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.

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 PLN 27. It may be planted in a garden, but it is on the Hungarian list of invasive species: it may not be planted on public ground and can escape from gardens, so plant it only with care, away from natural habitats.

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.

Fine in a garden, but it can escape

It is on the Hungarian list of invasive plants: it may not be planted on public ground, but it may in a private garden. Do not plant it near natural habitats, woodland or water, keep its fruit and clippings inside the garden, and pull out the seedlings and suckers that come up. The garden planner does not put it into a plan on its own, but it goes in if you ask for it by name.

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

All details

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 7.5 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 PLN 27

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

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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
size not stated	approx. PLN 27

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made