If you’re looking to add a real showstopper to your yard, you can’t go wrong with the Empress Tree (also known as the Foxglove Tree). This beauty brings so much to the table—those massive, heart-shaped leaves create a lush canopy of green that’s perfect for carving out a little shade on a sunny afternoon. Plus, growing a Paulownia from a seedling is surprisingly easy! Here’s everything you need to know to get started.
Buying and Raising Your Seedlings
Empress Tree seedlings are actually pretty affordable. You can snag them at most local nurseries or easily find them online. Prices usually vary depending on how old the plant is and how it was raised. When you’re shopping around, just make sure you’re looking for the Chinese Empress Tree, known by its botanical name *Paulownia tomentosa*.
For the first year, I highly recommend keeping your Empress Tree in a container or a large pot. Young plants aren’t quite as hardy as the grown-ups yet. Keeping it in a pot makes it much easier to overwinter—you can just move it into a garage or shed, or wrap the pot in garden fleece to keep it cozy during the cold months.
How to Care for Your Paulownia Seedlings
During those first couple of years, frost is your biggest enemy. You’ll want to wait until the threat of frost has totally passed in the spring before moving your tree outside. On the flip side, make sure to bring it back in or protect it early in the winter so those delicate young buds don’t freeze off.
Quick Tips for Planting and Care:
- Move your Paulownia outdoors in the spring.
- Keep it protected from frost.
- Wait until it’s 1–2 years old before planting it permanently in the ground.
- Pick a bright, warm spot in your yard.
Once you’ve got your seedlings settled, keep a close eye on the water, especially at the beginning. Since young seedlings haven’t grown deep roots yet, they need to be watered more frequently. Just be careful not to let the soil get soggy—standing water is a recipe for root rot. The Empress Tree loves a bright, sunny spot and thrives in soil mixed with a bit of sand or peat for good drainage.
