Help... I have planted hundreds of the royal empress tree seeds and was having great success but all of a sudden they are all dying. they grow no more than a 1/4" high then start to die. Can anyone give some insight? I started them indoors under flourescent lights and last weekend brought them outside. That's when I first noticed the damage so i brought them back inside but they are continueing to die. now I can't stop it... Can anyone help before I lose them all?
Sounds like they were killed by the sudden outdoor exposure. Try to put them out when indoor and outdoor conditions are as similar as possible, behind something that provides shade from behind which they can grow up into the outdoor light (which is much stronger than the indoor light). Also look up "damping off", in case that pertains. Next question is will this tree grow in Miami, or is it too far south for it?
It is listed as an invasive alien in Florida, so the answer is yes; and also that it is a good thing that these seedlings are all dieing!
Florida has more than one climate. Miami is way down there, in a mild section. Northern part of Florida has had subzero winters in some locations within time of records being kept, as have most U.S. States. Sunset National Garden Book doesn't have it zoned for anywhere in Florida.
Thanks for all the feedback! but I'm a little confused. I'm sorry if I sound ignorant but I'm a little new to this. Every other publication I read put the royal empress tree hardy to zone 10 (which i think is where i am) but now that i search for the botanical name it's putting it in zone 9b. I thought these zones only pertained to cold weather. Also, I did find the listing saying that it is invasive... what does that mean? Is it a bad thing? I also planted an orchid tree in my yard - when i researched that i found the history saying that the state of florida at one point had them outlawed but they are ok now. does that mean that I shouldn't plant these trees? Thanks for all the help guys!
An invasive plant is one that is not native to the area, but will will seed itself all over the place, and start invading the rest of your land, your neighbours' land, and natural lands, etc. Yes, a bad thing - it will kill off other native plants and wildlife.
IF it can even grow in Miami for more than a short time, which so far seems quite doubtful. Have you seen any existing ones in the area? Checking with some local nurseries or gardens might also give you a feel for what the situation is, if you start being told repeatedly it doesn't grow there then maybe it doesn't.
Hmmm, so in other words, it is not illegal, it's just not a good idea to plant them. Right? I'm purchasing a new home and they put a tiny oak in the front yard. I'm likely to move out before it gets big enough to provide any shade that will reduce my energy bills. I wanted to pluck it up and pop in a tree that will grow fast and requires little care to keep healthy. Do you have a better recommendation?
According to paulowniasupply.com, the Royal Empress is non-invasive. "It’s non-invasive, environmentally beneficial and safe for children and pets." But then I found later on their site, "We grow four different varieties of trees (Tomentosa, Elongata, Kowakami and Fortuni)." The Tomentosa is directly stated as an invasive on texasinvasives.org. So what's the truth?
Well, they would, wouldn't they!! They're hardly going to say "Don't buy our sole product, because it is invasive", are they! Not exactly an unbiased source of information! As for the different species of Paulownia, they all share similar reproductive strategy with production of very large amounts of lightweight seeds, the classic characteristic of nearly all invasive species. It is wisest to assume they will all be invasive.
