"Iris Cohen" wrote in message
...

Paulownia tomentosa, or princess tree, has its good points. It depends on
where
you live. It would be at its best in Zone 6b. It is not hardy in the
North,
although there was one in Syracuse for many years. Any further south, it
is
extremely weedy and invasive, and you would have your neighbors cursing
you.

Iris,

If you ever travel across I-40 in TN in the spring when the Paulownia is in
bloom, you will understand why people think it is gorgeous. In fact, the
rest stop along the way have signs telling travelers what it is because so
many people ask. And as an aside, you will also know why it has gained the
adjective "invasive." Much of the roadside on I-40 has Paulownia in the
landscape in all sizes, and it doesn't seem to be fussy where it grows.

There is a single, large specimen next to a pottery shop in the area where
we live in northern AR that is beautiful in both spring and summer. It gets
no care and is doing extremely well, which is reason enough to worry about
invasiveness.

John