Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Plants Wanted Or For Exchange => Topic started by: emma T on March 31, 2011, 09:26:24 AM
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Its a long shot asking for this on a rock garden forum, but hey ho.
My boss has asked me to try and find him a white flowered Paulownia tormentosa (foxglove tree) He was given one in Australia by a botanic garden and he would now like one in his garden here in the U.K
He hasnt given me much to go on ??? . He doesn't know the variety/cultivar . He is sure it is tormentosa not fargesii or fortunei.
Does anyone know of a white flowered form in this country ? Or the cultivar/ variety it might be ? Or even better where i can buy one ? I would be happy to try growing from seed.
Many thanks.
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Sorry, Emma, no help to you. Although I have grown Paulownia tomentosa for nearly ten years, it hasn't flowered yet. It is a fine size by now, about 15 feet X 15 feet and a lovely tree but the flowers would be very welcome.
Paddy
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Masses of them in upper New Zealand but I've not seen a white flowered one.
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http://books.google.de/books?id=DzqPvHlFkV4C&pg=PA595&lpg=PA595&dq=Paulownia+tomentosa+white+form&source=bl&ots=xmEpmopyA9&sig=ZYm4dlsBd72FoEuW8IvuAaIN9UE&hl=de&ei=oXGXTa7yNonvsgap6py-CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Paulownia%20tomentosa%20white%20form&f=false
In this article the white form is Paulownia fortunei. Never heard from a white form of Paulownia tomentosa.
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Oh well :-\
The boss will just have to have purple flowers. I suppose we could paint them ;D
He was given the white flowered form by a botanic garden, so might be a very rare tree :(
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Could it be a Catalpa rather than a Paulownia? Catalpa flowers are white and although the leaves are quite a bit smaller, they are similar in most respects and pretty hardy.
That may, or may not be of any value, but at least it gives you an alternative direction to try.
The other thing I just thought of was the similarity and diversity of Clerodendrum; could this be what he was meaning?
Good luck,
Lewis
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Nope its a Paulownia.
My boss is very good with plants, he knows its a white Paulownia. Could be that it is not tomentosa , maybe one of the other species.
We already grow 3 different Catalpa , and Clerodendrum ( despite the stinky leaves :-X )
Thanks for the suggestion's ;D
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Shucks, I'm beaten I fear. Can't find anything in the RHS plantfinder, if I was to recommend a nursery that might have something like it, it would be Burncoose.
Regrettably, the best I can do.
Sorry,
Lewis
But wait, a small breakthrough. A photo on the following link attributed to Mark Smyth, could this be our very own Mark? Worth enquiring with him.
http://www.wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/F/FoxgloveTree/FoxgloveTree.htm
L
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Well, the photos were taken in Paris. So the french have a white foxglove tree. Maybe a trip to France is in order ;D At least i know what I'm looking for exists outside of Australia
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Well, the photos were taken in Paris. So the french have a white foxglove tree. Maybe a trip to France is in order ;D At least i know what I'm looking for exists outside of Australia
Yes, but they're bound to notice you digging it up, aren't they? ::) :-\ ;D
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... and difficult to hide under your coat.
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... and difficult to hide under your coat.
or even under an attractive hat..........
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Well, the photos were taken in Paris. So the french have a white foxglove tree. Maybe a trip to France is in order ;D At least i know what I'm looking for exists outside of Australia
Yes, but they're bound to notice you digging it up, aren't they? ::) :-\ ;D
;D that they might !
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This tree is planted in Nashville, TN, USA. Paulownia with definitely white, not lilac, flowers.
Its a long shot asking for this on a rock garden forum, but hey ho.
My boss has asked me to try and find him a white flowered Paulownia tormentosa (foxglove tree) He was given one in Australia by a botanic garden and he would now like one in his garden here in the U.K
He hasnt given me much to go on ??? . He doesn't know the variety/cultivar . He is sure it is tormentosa not fargesii or fortunei.
Does anyone know of a white flowered form in this country ? Or the cultivar/ variety it might be ? Or even better where i can buy one ? I would be happy to try growing from seed.
Many thanks.
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Greetings, Rosewood, welcome to the forum.
Your comment about this tree in Tennessee makes me wonder how hardy it would be in the UK . ... have you any thoughts on that?
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Hi Maggi,
I believe it would be hardy once well established because it looks like Nashville is zone 7. Perhaps it needs winter covering for a while. I know that the regular lilac flowered empress tree survives in Hungary where the winter can be as cold as -25 C.
Happy Gardening!
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Thanks - looks like I am over-estimating Nashville's zone.
Worth trying for sure if we can source it.
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I wonder if someone at the Sissinghurst White Garden might shed light on its name or origin.
http://frustratedgardener.com/2012/07/03/sensational-sissinghurst-part-2-white-heat/ (http://frustratedgardener.com/2012/07/03/sensational-sissinghurst-part-2-white-heat/)