Paulownia FAQ

How do I place an order?

You can place your order online under the shop tab. Please remember the shipping season for Paulownia is between April and October.  If you want to place an order by Phone Call Toll free 1-800-615-7306, Regular Phone:  229-546-4034 or  by email wpi@worldpaulownia.com or sales@worldpaulownia.com,  by regular mail to World Paulownia Institute, P.O. Box 721, Lenox, GA 31637.  Why order 6 months in advance and have your credit card charged immediately & not know when your delivery is going to be?? WPI charges your credit card the week prior to shipping which is pre-scheduled for your area (after your last frost) or when the customer requests a shipping date. The Paulownia Shipping Season is from April thru October. Placing your order early guarantees your shipping date. Dept. of Agriculture requires nurseries to ship within 90 days of receipt of payment by the seller. If no shipping date is requested or given then the shipment must be within 30 days. BE CAREFULL who you order from.

Do you have payment options?

WPI has several different ways to pay. If you order online you can go thru the PayPal checkout.  You do not need a PayPal account to use the checkout.  Other options are Check – Money Order – Cashiers Check – Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express and PayPal (sales@worldpaulownia.com). Call 1-800-615-7306,  or email wpi@worldpaulownia.com or sales@worldpaulownia.com

Placing an order early, also gives you the option to make monthly payments until your order is paid off prior to shipping. If you order early you can secure your order with a 25% deposit and pay the balance at a later date with check or credit card. International orders via wire transfer, credit card, or PayPal.

When is the best time to plant and order my seedlings?

The Paulownia planting season is April through October. WPI ships daily via UPS and USPS. Orders that are received Monday thru Wed normally ship in that week. If you want to plant early in Spring and have a selected “Frost free date” you can place your order in advance from November through March for timely delivery. A great guide to planting your Paulownia seedlings is the same time as you plant your Tomato plants. For further information please review our agricultural zones information.

How tall are the seedlings when they are shipped?

Paulownia seedlings are fully sun hardened when they are shipped and will range from 6″-10″ in height depending on which month you order in.

How quick can I receive my seedlings?

Orders are shipped Monday through Wednesday each week during the growing season. Orders placed by Wednesday will ship the same week. Nursery hours for pickup 9am – 4pm Monday thru Saturday. Nursery location is 50 N Lindsey Street Lenox GA 31637.

My seedlings have arrived and I do not have time to plant them?

Don’t panic, if your seedlings have traveled several days and through various climates they need to have time to rest and rejuvenate. Unpack your seedlings immediately, place them in direct sunlight and water once or twice a day if they seem dried out which will depend upon your temperatures. It is best to acclimatize your seedlings for 7 to 10 days prior to planting.

How do you ship your seedlings?

All small orders are shipped via USPS daily, with Priority 1-3 days.  UPS Ground for all Eastern States. Far West states we use UPS 3-Day select shipping to ensure your seedlings arrive promptly and in good condition and are only shipped on a Monday & Tuesday.

Larger orders are shipped on a pallet and with a transport company.  Canada requires a Phytosanitary Certificate from the US Department of Agriculture for all tree orders.

Where do my seedlings come from?

All seedlings are produced in our laboratory and are guaranteed to be disease and pathogen free, they are fully sun hardened prior to shipping from our nursery located in Lenox Georgia. Customers are welcome to pick up their seedlings. Full directions and contact information can be printed by clicking here. Make sure your paulownia supplier is real and not just a reseller.

I need to speak to a real person?

WPI’s customer service can be reached Monday thru Friday 10am until 5pm Eastern Standard Time to help you with your orders, tracking numbers, and technical support. During the growing season weekend customer service is also available. Click here for details.

I need technical advice. How do I check my soil? What pH should I have? What fertilizer is needed? How do I prune my trees?

Paulownia likes free draining sandy loam type soils. Paulownia will not tolerate any low or wet land. Paulownia requires a pH of 6.5 and above. You will need to test your pH each season and fertilize accordingly. Early spring and then again prior to fall. Pruning is required for the first 2 years. Pruning every 4-6 weeks in the first growing season will ensure good height growth. Once your tree reaches at least 15′ it is not necessary to keep pruning the suckers out. Shade tree pruning: You only need to prune your tree up to where you want the canopy to start. If you want your canopy to start at 8 or 10 feet then you do not need to prune any higher. It is very important in all cases of pruning that you leave at least 8-10 main sets of leaves on the tree at all times. Do not over prune.

Why do I need to space my Paulownia trees?

Paulownia is very light sensitive and needs to be planted on equal distances. 12’ x 12′ = 300 trees per acre – 14′ x 14′ = 220 trees per acre – 16′ x 16′ = 170 trees per acre. You can determine which spacing works best for you by the size equipment you have to keep your plantation mowed and fully maintained.

World Paulownia Institute is the world's largest producer and supplier of genetically superior Paulownia seedlings.

WPI Offers:

• Free Technical Advice
• Excellent Customer Service
• On Time Deliveries
• Seedling packages from 1 acre to hundreds of acres
• Ornamental Paulownia shade trees. You can purchase just one tree.
• Paulownia Wood Packs small & large
• Paulownia Seedlings for International projects.

I have wetland and want to plant Paulownia?

Paulownia will not tolerate wet or low land or standing water for long periods of time.

How tall will Paulownia grow and how deep do the roots go?

Depending on variety and soil conditions Paulownia can reach between 50 to 70 feet. Paulownia has a deep tap root of up to 45 feet.

What is the recommended control procedures for killing a tree?

Large trees. Make stem injections using Arsenal AC* or a glyphosate herbicide in dilutions and cut spacings specified on the herbicide label (anytime except March and April). For felled trees, apply these herbicides to stem and stump tops immediately after cutting. Saplings. Apply Garlon 4 as a 20-percent solution in commercially available basal oil, diesel fuel, or kerosene (2.5 quarts per 3-gallon mix) with a peretrant (check with herbicide distributor) to young bark as a basal spray. Resprouts and seedlings. Thoroughly wet all leaves with one of the following herbicides in water with a serfactant (July to October): Arsenal AC* as a 1-percent solution (4 ounces per 3-gallon mix); a glyphosate herbicide, Garlon 3A, or Garlon 4 as a 2-percent solution (8 ounces per 3-gallon mix).

Are Paulownia toxic to animals?

Paulownia is very high in protein and safe for animals. However you will need to protect the trees with fencing from the horses or cattle until the tree reaches a good height so the animals do not destroy the growth of the tree by eating the terminal bud out.

What is the lifespan of Paulownia?

Paulownia is one of the oldest recorded trees in China. The USA has some Paulownia that dates over 200 years old.

Is Paulownia an evergreen?

Paulownia is a hardwood tree and is deciduous.

How much water does Paulownia require?

Paulownia will not tolerate over watering. They like to dry out, then have a drink. If you continuously water every day and keep the root system too wet you will drown the tree. Signs of too much water include leaves that shrivel and turn brown.

I have a deer and insect problem, what do I need to do?

Deer like to feed on short grasses or tasty feed plots. If you do not keep your grasses mowed or have feed plots planted, then you will encounter problems. Deer will only browse on Paulownia if they have nothing else to eat. Some successful ways of detracting deer have been reported. Scatter human hair around the fields, use the common product called “Deer Away”, drill a hole in smelly soap bars and hang them on fence lines, spray your trees with hot sauce.

Deer Deterrent Formula – For 1 Gallon – 1/2 cup of milk, 1 egg beaten, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1 tablespoon of dishwashing detergent, mix with one gallon jug of water. For 5 gallons everything is 5 times more, etc. This should last for 2 weeks.

Caterpillars love Paulownia leaves. The main leaves to protect during the growing season is the terminal bud at the top of the tree. Remember the terminal bud promotes the height and future growth of the tree. Treat the caterpillars with Sevin dust or spray – the same used on tomatoes.

What herbicides can I use for the grasses?

Roundup cannot be used. Paulownia has a very vigorous root system and will uptake nutrients along with herbicides very quickly. Roundup will kill your seedlings or maturing trees very quickly. Gramoxone and Fusilade are proven safe for the Paulownia however it is only a contact herbicide and only controls grasses for a short amount of time.

What is the highest altitude my trees can withstand?

Paulownia will not tolerate an altitude higher than 2200 feet for successful fast growth during one season.

If I plant several acres of Paulownia, where is the market?

If you purchase seedlings from WPI the company will enter into a contract to buy back your trees. If you are not in the Southeast Georgia area we can assist you in organizing the harvest along with a purchaser, this is applicable for 10 acres or more only.