WOODSENSE

The rediscovered magical tree By Udo Schmidt

Royal Paulownia Paulownia tomentosa is known by a variety of names – Empress tree, Kiri tree, Sapphire Princess, Royal Paulownia, Princess tree, and Kawakami. The most common name, Royal Paulownia, is said to honor Princess Anna Pavlonia (1795- 1865), daughter of Russia’s Czar Paul I. Native to China, the tree was first mentioned in an encyclopedia around 1000 B.C. The Chinese cultivated the paulow- nia tree extensively because of its omen for good fortune. Even to- day, traditional Chinese medicine uses parts of the tree for many things from darkening graying hair to treating hallucina- tions. Paulownia made its way to Japan, where it was valued for its light, but strong wood. It had a variety of uses from housing materials to wooden footwear. Japanese custom once held that when a daughter is born, a paulownia tree should be planted. When she marries, the tree is then har- vested to build her dowry chest and furniture. PHOTO: UDO SCHMIDT UDO PHOTO: WOODSENSE

Coming to more normal-sized leaves, young trees are easily America recognized by leaves approaching the In the mid-1800s, paulownia seeds size of elephant were used as packing material for ears. The leaves delicate porcelain shipped from are high in the Orient, and in this way came to protein and nu- the United States. The tree spread trients, make an relatively unnoticed throughout excellent fodder the country until the 1970s, when for livestock and if mulched into the ground make a good fertilizer. Paulownia bark is grayish brown with shallow fissures. In mid- to late spring, individual tube-like, 11/2" to THE LEAVES OF YOUNG PAULOWNIA 2" long flowers appear that are lav- trees are huge, sometimes reaching as ender in color and very fragrant. much as 3' in diameter. Another magical characteristic of paulownia is the high strength of its wood. It has the highest paulownia doesn’t really need to strength-to-weight ratio of any be kiln-dried and can be ready to known species. Paulownia wood work after air-drying for as little as weighs about 15-19 lbs. per cubic 30 days. foot, about half the weight of pine The wood of the paulownia is and one-third the weight of oak. insect-resistant, and highly resistant Also interesting is the wood’s to decay under conditions where the high ignition point of 420 degrees lumber isn’t touching the ground. PAULOWNIA HAS A STRAIGHT GRAIN, C (788 degrees F). That’s almost The lumber has good nail- and and high strength-to-weight ratio. twice as high as most domestic screw-holding capabilities and ma- hardwood and softwood species. chines well, although its high silica Japanese demand for the wood content can dull cutting tools rather surpassed the supply. Japanese quickly. lumber buyers bought every pau- Inside the Wood After the buying frenzy of the lownia tree they could find, with Japanese, Americans reconceived anecdotal reports quoting prices as the value of paulownia and started Paulownia sapwood is almost high as $20,000 for a single log. plantations across the country in white, while the heartwood runs One of the magical characteris- the early 1990s. (Former President from purplish-brown to light gray. tics of the paulownia is its growth Jimmy Carter is a big proponent of The grain is straight with a me- rate. With good environmental paulownia lumber.) dium to coarse texture. Another conditions, the tree can grow as The first domestic crops are now special feature of this wood is its much as 10' in its first year, and being harvested, so you can likely shrinkage values – when dried reach a diameter of 2' and a height expect to hear a lot more about this from green to oven-dry, it shrinks of over 50' in 15 years. At this size, magical tree and its lumber. it is ready for harvesting. It grows only 2.2 percent across the radial so fast, that in 1999 the Southeast plane and 4 percent across the Exotic Pest Plant Council classified tangential plane. This makes pau- Born and educated in Germany, the paulownia trees as an “Invasive lownia very stable during changes Udo Schmidt has written numerous Exotic Pest Plant” in Tennessee. in seasonal humidity. Because of magazine articles and is the author Although mature trees have these low-shrinkage properties, of “Building Kitchen Cabinets.” PHOTOS: UDO SCHMIDT, A.J. HAMLER (FROM LEFT) (FROM HAMLER A.J. SCHMIDT, UDO PHOTOS:

12.05 | WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE 77 FREE YEAR! 2 YEARS for $29.99!

go to woodcraftmagazine.com and click SUBSCRIBE -or- Complete the form below and mail in an envelope addressed to: WOODCRAFT MAGAZINE PO BOX 7020 PARKERSBURG WV 26102-9916

□ Payment Enclosed □ Bill Me Name Address City State Zip Country E-mail

Best-ever DECORATIVE FINISHES Build Better Send in now to get LUMBER RACK Done Right with a CUT LIST

Projects, Techniques and Products

Build this 2 Years for $29.99! classic SPICE BOX And learn how to… I Dovetail a case

I Divide a cabinet into compartments or go to woodcraftmagazine.com and click SUBSCRIBE I Create a cornice

By providing my e-mail address, I am indicating I’d like to receive information about my subscription and other offers from Woodcraft Magazine via e-mail.

Outside of the U.S and Canada add $30 for postage. Plus… I 4 more projects Foreign orders must be prepaid. Payment in U.S. Funds only. I Famous furniture