Geoff Kegerreis wrote:
Pawlonia is the most valuable sawtimber species in America. When I worked in NC,
I had heard that federal agents were busting people cutting them off the pisgah
nat'l forest
off I-40 near the pigeon river gorge and trying to sell them to sawmills. The mill
I worked for
at the time stopped production of extremely high quality wood (select red oak,
walnut, etc.)
for nearly an hour while the
owner of one pawlonia log paid the mill owner to instruct the sawyer exactly how to
saw the
log. There have been investments in Pawlonia for the last decade or so and one or
more companies
was guaranteeing the return. Personally, I feel there is a market, however very
much a niche
one, that if you find buyers (more than likely an asian market), they are more than
willing to pay a very
handsome price for the wood. I do not think the trees are fussy about soil, or if
they are, Michigan soil must
be good for them. Michigan State University has planted one in their Beal
botanical garden and has
to trim it down every year because it would grow super tall otherwise. They grow
about 50' tall and I
have heard that you can cut down a tree and lift the whole tree because it is so
lightweight, but the wood
is moderately strong. I'd grow some myself if I knew that I was staying put, but I
can't say I know that, so
hopefully someone else will.
Good luck,
Geoff Kegerreis
Andy Dingley wrote:
On 11 Sep 2003 03:31:01 GMT, (MS Tarzan 1972)
wrote:
Just need a little input from anyone that may know anything about these tress.
I have a friend that wants to try and raise some of the (@60 acres). I've read
up a little and they seem to be very fast growing trees.
They are. Thirsty for water though, and fussy about their soil and
microclimate.
I'm a furnituremaker, not a forester. I've been interested in growing
a few acres of paulownia for the last year or two. However I don't
think my likely local conditions are ideal for them.
My question and
concern is: is there a reasonable market for paulownia timber?
Paulownia is pretty much unheard of in the West. It's an unusual
timber, and highly valued in Japan. As a UK furnituremaker, I'm
interested in buying it, because I think I can use it in ways that I
can't use any other Western timber for. It's best known through its
use in tansu - portable cabinets, particularly those used as
strongboxes on merchant ships. Paulownia dries well and stays dry, and
has a rapid swelling when wetted. It was used to attempt to waterproof
storage chests and these shipboard safes.
I think you'd sell paulownia timber, and I think there's a good
commercial basis to doing so. But you're going to have to develop your
own market and sales channels for it.
Are they worth the investment?
I've heard little against them. Some of the hype is just hype - it's
not the wonder-timber that some make out (nothing ever is). But I'm
still happy that it is viable, if you're in the right location.
Any input would be appreciated.
You could always ask Jimmy Carter - he has been growing them for some
years. As a cabinetmaker himself, he also sold a paulownia cabinet for
$250K - although that's probably more for the signature than the
timber.
There are several Pawlonia planted in a floral nursery on Hood canal. In
Spring they're amazing trees with their purple flowers from top to
bottom. The tallest in this clump is close to 100 feet in height and
isn't very old at all. A few attempts have been made to grow them
commercially here and it was found that they need the water table to
drop rapidly in spring. They won't do well if they have wet roots.
Obviously they'll never catch on here!