Paulownia general information

Paulownia trees are useful for many things including livestock fodder production, biomass and lumber and paper pulp production.  In natural environments, it acts as a pioneer or nurse species, providing cover for slower growing trees in disturbed areas when a forest is establishing.  It grows quickly and recovers easily in most environments, regenerating from it's root system to produce a robust tree after a fire or other destructive event.  In fact, one method that is commonly used to produce large, straight trunks for lumber processing is to coppice the tree, or chop it down to the crown, during the first three years of growth so that the stump can produce a trunk of at least 8 feet during the first year.

Intercropping paulownia species is becoming more common, as they provide shade for plants that don't prefer direct sun while mitigating risk by offering alternative income sources.

European markets currently offer processed paulownia lumber for $14-28 per cubic foot.  The value of the lumber can vary depending on the speed that the trees are allowed to grow.  The faster that the tree is allowed to grow, the lower the density of the wood, which results in a lower quality lumber.  Paulownia lumber is lightweight and has moderate structural integrity, making it useful for many things.  It is also rot and insect resistant and dries without a kiln in the open air.  Silica content of the wood is variable and can have a dulling effect on cutting tools.

Bark, branches and leaves can be pelletized for biomass energy production, or used as livestock fodder.  Some sources claim that biomass energy production has the possibility of being the most profitable use for paulownia plantations.  Current energy prices are low because of the proliferation of cheap petroleum on the markets, but that doesn't mean that it will stay low.

References:

• Paulownia Tomentosa - information packed article about tomentosa
• Paulownia information -
• Trees for life article - lots of information about markets etc.
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Paulownia seedlings

All the silver plants have been growing slowly, which is normal for them.  They are wild plants and generally originate in areas where resources are scarce so that the matrix of leaves generally doesn't develop until after the root system has established itself sufficiently to comfortably support long dry periods.

Spring is approaching which means it's time to get seeds and cuttings in the ground for the new season.  This year we're using a completely inert mix for all cuttings and seeds which is composed of primarily red lava fines.  The fines are pourus, so they hold nutrients well and the ultra complex surface structure of each individual element (like a grain of sand, except a tiny little lava rock) supports a lot of biological activity.

Bacteria and mycorhizae live on these tiny, near microscopic surfaces, under certain circumstances, which convert nutrients like nitrogen and potassium into more usable forms and which interact with the natural biological activities of the plants and the cells in the roots in order to support stronger more sustained growth.  Run off from a system like this is actually improved each time it is cycled through the system.  We discovered it here when the roses next to the seedling flats burst into bloom even though they didn't receive much sunlight and in fact have remained in bloom all winter long even though we haven't been doing much in that area since last summer.

 Our current production is geared towards producing Paulownia seedlings, Black moso bamboo and silver decorative perennials.  The paulownia seedlings are exciting because they have a lot of potential for farming in areas where water is scarce.  They can be used to produce biomass energy, lumber, paper pulp and even livestock feed, although I suspect paulownia leaves could only be used for a portion of an animal's diet.  Additionally, paulownia trees grow an extensive root system which is very effective at sequestering nutrients from deep in the soil, making it useful as a natural fertilizer production plant similar to comfrey.

We have acquired larger quantities of seeds for elongata, tomentosa and a variety of other strains from various locations for testing and development.  There is some tremendous research being done with these trees in many areas of the world for various purposes related to reclaiming land, reducing erosion and producing value without high levels of inputs or resource consumption. Seedlings started now will be ready to plant out in the spring and with proper nutrient management, will also be ready for sale at that time.

Silver wormwood

Silver wormwood, or Fringed sage is a low-growing shrub from the Artemisia genus.  Like other artemesias, it is fragrant and drought tolerant as well as being able to handle temperature extremes.  Fringed sage prefers full sun, but is also able to grow well in partial shade.

Sea Lavender

Sea Lavender or Santolina is a small silvery-grey shrub, with a soft, woodsy-citrus aroma.  It is a very hardy plant and can tolerate all kinds of extremes.  It prefers sun and well-draining soil.