Paulownia trees & growth rates

[Leon Scott]

Paulownia has been grown for centuaries in China and as you suggest is one of 
the most sought after timbers in Japan, Particularly for cabinet making as it 
as light, attractive and faily strong.  It has been grown in Australia for 
about 20 years and is but is still a marginal crop.  The species is very 
water dependabt for the first 18 months.  It is plantd at extremely high 
densities and treated like a vegetable during thios period.  However once 
established it is reasonably drought tolerant (My mothers property is in 
central qld and hasn't seen rain for 6 years and the paulonia is still alive) 
It is also frost resistant.  However the growth rate is dependant very much 
on the water supply.  (The same trees that haven't seen rain in 6 years 
haven't grown much either).  The company you mentioned was featured in an 
agricultural TV show a couple of months ago in australia (Landline).  They 
seem to be developing cultivars that overcome some of the limitations of the 
species and also are highly productive.

I belive that the timber has good potential as a cabinet timber but it will 
bge a long time to move it out of the marginal production into the 
mainstream.
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  Leon Scott
  Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Pest Management
  University of Queensland
  Brisbane, 4072, AUSTRALIA
  
  Email: L.Scott at ctpm.uq.edu.au
  Phone: +617 3365 1879
  Fax:     +617 3365 1855
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