The Empress Tree

by fountainofmuse, posted in Trees and flowers

If Empress Tree Floweryou walk (or drive) through Philadelphia at this time of year, you cannot but notice many trees with gorgeous lilac flowers.  They are Empress Trees, also known as Princess Trees or Foxglove Trees or Paulownia tomentosa.  The tree is native to western and central China but was introduced to Europe in the 1830s and brought to the US around 1840.  The purple flowers, which come out before the leaves, exude a fragrant smell.  The fruits are brown capsules; they open up in the fall to release the seeds but remain attached all winter.