Paulownia kawakamii or the Sapphire Dragon Tree is a majestic, fast growing, deciduous tree with large, mid-green leaves with hairy undersides and prominent veins.
The gently fragrant flowers are what makes this tree so attractive in cultivation.
A profusion of tubular, foxglove-like flowers that are creamy pink with spotted throats are borne in long panicles in spring before the leaves appear, creating quite a spectacular sight.
Tolerant of poor air quality, they are very hardy trees that grow extremely quickly and are an excellent choice as an ornamental or shade tree for medium to larger gardens.
These are very long lasting trees, likely to have a lifespan of around 100 years.