From dtele@surfsouth.com Fri Aug 13 23:21:06 1999
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 20:39:06 -0400
From: David Drexler <dtele@surfsouth.com>
To: mike richardson <mrichardson@tn.nrcs.usda.gov>
Cc: "sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu" <sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu>
Subject: Re: Paulownia trees

Greetings Mike

Nice post about Paulownia.  Accurate and brief.
I would like to add some facts that I have researched and learned from
experience about these trees.
Wood workers tell me fast grown "works and mills" as good as slow grown
The wood is easily air dried.
Can be kiln dried extremely fast with out damage.
Does not wrap, crack, or split.
Is extremely dimensionally stable with changes in humidity.
Is fire resistant  and is a very good insulator of heat and electricity
Is rot resistant. ( I have run no test on this but by  observation it looks
equal to above ground cca treatment.)
While being extremely light it does have an excellent strength to weight
ratio.
The market for this wood will rapidly develop in the US once a supply is
available. The market to the orient is a myth.  China has 5 million acre now
and can ship to the orient a lot cheaper than from the US.  By some estimates
there are 50 to 100,000 acres growing in US plantations now.  Most under 5
years of age.  I have no doubt that "when the wood is available they will
come."  This is different than exotics of past particular in the processing.
The lumber industry and mills already exist.  Besides a small bandsaw operator
can saw and dry this lumber. Of course a large mill could devour the whole
100,000 acres in a winter.
Look again at the above qualities and the uses are many.
Moldings, Picture frames, boat framing (already being done), veneers,
furniture making,  outdoor decks without chemicals!!!  Hey the Chinese even
make shoes of them.
I am a grower and consultant and will be offering the trees for sale next
spring.  Hope the group doesn't mind a little plug.



Thanks
David D.


mike richardson wrote:

> After having been introduced in this country many years ago as an
> ornamental, it was found that Japan represented a great market for
> paulownia.  They use the wood for many items including small boxes and
> traditional wedding gifts and furniture.  In the early 80's there was a
> boom in demand and the trees started being cut by the hundreds of
> thousands, even to the point that old ornamentals were being harvested
> by homeowners, or stolen from them.  The boom market eventually crashed
> for awhile and the "paulownia fever" abated some.  However, there is
> still a strong market for the trees and they actually exceed $$ value
> for veneer grade red oak, white oak, and walnut per mbf.  I am a little
> concerned about the desire to rush the growth of these trees.  I seem to
> remember hearing that the faster the tree grew the lower the value.
> Just FYI.
>
> Son of Richard
>
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From mrichardson@tn.nrcs.usda.gov Fri Aug 13 23:23:05 1999
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 14:56:40 -0500
From: mike richardson <mrichardson@tn.nrcs.usda.gov>
To: "sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu" <sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu>
Subject: RE: Paulownia trees

After having been introduced in this country many years ago as an
ornamental, it was found that Japan represented a great market for
paulownia.  They use the wood for many items including small boxes and
traditional wedding gifts and furniture.  In the early 80's there was a
boom in demand and the trees started being cut by the hundreds of
thousands, even to the point that old ornamentals were being harvested
by homeowners, or stolen from them.  The boom market eventually crashed
for awhile and the "paulownia fever" abated some.  However, there is
still a strong market for the trees and they actually exceed $$ value
for veneer grade red oak, white oak, and walnut per mbf.  I am a little
concerned about the desire to rush the growth of these trees.  I seem to
remember hearing that the faster the tree grew the lower the value.
Just FYI.

Son of Richard

To Unsubscribe:  Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"unsubscribe sanet-mg".  If you receive the digest format, use the command
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From kline.oldhouse@worldnet.att.net Fri Aug 13 23:44:48 1999
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 23:03:22 -0400
From: Matthew Kline <kline.oldhouse@worldnet.att.net>
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Re: Paulownia Trees from China


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Paulownia  has escaped cultivation in the mid-Atlantic states, to invade
highway cuts, disturbed areas, and native forests.  In the native forest
areas it seems to disrupt the undergrowth, eliminating native shrubs.  (I
could not discern whether this was due to soil disturbance or change of
soil organisms.)  The 'cute' purple flowers and potential rapid growth
aid sales of Paulownia trees offered by mail order catalogues.  While
these are field observations and not scientifically backed, the forest
biologists I have spoken to take a dim view of the species.  Previous
posts have indicated brittle wood with wind and ice damage.  The trees
offer few redeeming qualities and no wildlife value.  From an
environmental standpoint I could not recommend planting more invasive
exotic species.  I highly recommend that the Georgia Land Stewardship
Assoc. read Alien Invasion:  America's Battle With Non-Native Animals and
Plants, by Robert S. Devine.  Paulownia is not as invasive as Melaleuca,
Kudzu, or Norway Maples, but please consider the health of forests near
the propagation areas.
 
Mary

      Craig Wrote:
      Some discussions on the Georgia Land Stewardship list have
      addressed this tree native to China with a deep tap root,
      pounds of leaves, and a life of some 10 years to have a
      viable timber product. Previous Sanet posts have mentioned
      its ability to aid in reclaiming sites of hog waste.
       
      The issue of introducing the species to this area with out
      understanding its impact on the balance of our eco system was
      raised.
      Is there a useful insight as to introducing yet another
      foreign plant into our region (Southeast)? Does anyone know
      of potential problems with this tree?
       
      Thank you
       
      Incidentally see the Georgia Land Stewardship Assoc.. site at
      http://www.pd.org/~glsa/
       
       


