How to Grow Paulownia Trees From Seed

Find a well-drained site in the sun or in partial shade for your seedbed.

Hoe the site to remove weeds and grass. Haul away in a wheelbarrow large rocks and plant fragments that interfere with root development. Rake the surface to smooth it out.

Broadcast 1 lb. per square yard of a slow-release 14-14-14 fertilizer. Select a micronutrient supplement and apply it to the bed, following the application rates on the product label. Spread 8 oz. of gypsum and 8 oz. of dolomite per square yard over the soil. Irrigate the surface to water the amendments in.

Moisten the seedbed surface just before you sow the paulownia seeds. Broadcast them by hand, scattering 1 tsp. of seeds per square yard, after the last spring frost.

Cover the seedbed with straw mulch to protect the seeds from the heat and to keep them from blowing away.

Irrigate the seedbed superficially up to three times a day to prevent the seeds from drying out and dying. Moisten the soil 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Give saplings and trees 1 inch of water a week. It takes as long as two weeks for paulownia seeds to germinate.

Thin the seedlings by hand when they're 6 inches tall to the number of trees you want. Maintain a 3-foot area around the young trees grass and weed free. It could be more than five years before your new trees become established and are able to compete with other plants.