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Paulownia

Started by Almeida, September 07, 2018, 05:07:40 AM

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Almeida

Good morning 
I am writing from Portugal, earlier this year I planted 1000 Paulownia trees. The plants where made in vitro on a lab in spain. 
I must say that most of them are growing fast as expected. 
One of the reasons of planting was the economical return expected. And that is where I have a question.
Is anybody here buying m3 of paulownia timber? And what is the value payed for m3?
Thanks in advance
Best regards
Almeida
 

Texas Ranger

Welcome to the forum, sorry, no information from me for your area.  It is a seldom planted tree in the US, with little market here.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

Banjo picker

Its considered an invasive species here in the US. I have sawed some for a customer; he even took the slabs.  Don't know what his plan was for the wood.  Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

Almeida

Thanks for replying
I will be honest, I was told that if I ad the logs ready wright now I would get 900€-m3. And I was told also that the values in 6-8 years will be the same. It is expected that in 6-8 years each tree will give me 1m3 of timber. If you do the math this will be a great investment. I researched a lot because this seemed to good to be true, the info I found pushed me forward. 
But until I sell the timber I will always be thinking, thats why I asking more info here 

Southside

There is some market with the surfboard manufacturers that I have been told of. 

Personally it reminds me of the Alpaca craze of the late '90's early 2000's. Just don't want to be the last guy in line. 

Now there is a guy claiming $30K per acre if you plant his special bamboo.  Never know.
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
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Riehl Edger
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White Oak Meadows

nativewolf

We sell and buy standing Paulowina.  I can't really help you in Portugal (on my bucket list for travel) but I have a veneer buyer friend who is of Portuguese ethnicity and he spends a few weeks/months there every year.  I'll ask him when he gets back from vacation and see if he could recommend a buyer.  

That said, you've got a long wait to make money.  The expensive wood isn't growing at super plantation rates, you want just moderate growth rings (1-2 rings/year is too fast), shoot for 4 rings/year as a compromise.  Form is important, size is important.  So you'll want a good dense canopy, properly thinned over time as density of the stand is what drives diameter, give it 25-30 years.  You'll do ok.  
Liking Walnut

nativewolf

and for all my FF buddies, the pricing is coming back ..somewhat.  Not like $10/bdft of 2000 but almost as good as walnut.
Liking Walnut

Almeida

I see.. it was considered an invasive species here in Portugal. In 2003 one guy made study about the impact on the enviroment, he spent loads of money, but there is a big lobby here in Portugal with the eucalyptus and he gave up. I dont know if you see the news about Portugal every year with all the fires we have mainly because of the eucalyptus and all the companies that will buy the burnt wood for a dime. 
Anyway some 3 years ago the guy that sold me my paulownias and that garantees this 900€-m3 managed to make it legal to plant paulownias in Portugal. Because these ones mase in laboratory arent invasive.
But if you do the math with me I will make something like 900 000€ with my trees.
What do you think of that? lol

Autocar

I planted a number of them years ago they looked about like a tomato plant when I put them in the ground. The first summer they grew 16 feet tall with 32 inch diameter leaves. I was told to cut them down and let them regrow then cut them down again then a number of years later let them grow. I couldn't bring myself to cut them down so I just left them grow. I cut 1 x 12 's out of one that was around 23 years old. I built a truck cover from some of the wood it is as light as a feather and dosen't hold screws or nails just way to soft. At the time I planted them I was on the understanding that the Japanese was hot on them and still are. We live in western Ohio and it is a bit to far north I had alot of freeze down on full grown ones but still fun to see them grow.
Bill

Almeida

The weather here should be good for them. And after my research I have no doubt that the wood is excelent.
The big question is the market and the value of the timber. My plan was to plant 600 Paulownias each year for the next 6-8 years, so I could have in income every year.
But to do is I will need to invest +/- 14000€ each year to buy 1ha of land and ro buy the trees. And I am not rich hehe I have 26 years old, and I spent some money last year buying an 2,5ha land and planting the trees. I used 1,5ha to plant my trees and I will use almost 1ha to a new project of raspberrys ;)

Ianab

Paulownia got a bad reputation as it was promoted as a "get rich quick scheme". But at the end of the growing cycle, there wasn't an established market, or people didn't see it though and produce the good quality trees / logs that could be sold for good $$. 

Now there is a small and specialised market for the wood. Locally at least the folks growing it are milling, drying and selling the wood themselves and it's popular for making "retro" wooden surfboards / paddle boards etc. 

The problem is predicting what the market will be like in 20+ years. I suspect there will always be a market, especially with the push away from plastics and towards more sustainable alternatives like wood. But you might end up having to basically market it yourself. 

This is a local couple that have been growing the trees as a sideline operation on their dairy farm. They have been harvesting trees since ~2000, and replanting as they go. 
Paulownia Wood Suppliers - Paulownia NZ
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Almeida

I think I will not have a problem selling the wood as my tree suplier has a partner from the netherlands who is buying and selling this wood for 30 years in several countries. 
Thanks I will send an email to that website.
My suplier as planted 1 500 000 trees. He should have a market for them, and he will it jackpot when he sell the wood for all of us who made the plantatiom trough him. Because he will be the one certifying the wood.


dtwigden

The paulownia surfboard makers in the USA are paying way to much. They can only get it from the east coast and in very limited sizes from only a few specific suppliers. If you could work out the cost for shipping it by the 40 foot container to the west coast. You could sell it by the container load to the many board shapers. I myself wanted to start making paulownia surfboards as a business but stopped the idea because of the limited supply of paulownia in the USA. If you like email me to discuss more. Dtwigden62@gmail.com

RAYGYVER

I thought about planting a few Paulownia last year. Decided against it after speaking with the local extension office and the DNR. 

I am experimenting with cold hardy bamboo. I've got several species I planted a few months ago. I plan on milling them in half and selling as wall covering. Or selling timber quality poles. We will see how it goes....I don't have high hopes. But I'll give it my best shot...
I fear not death, I fear not to live.
Ray Cecil | GrabCAD
www.linkedin.com/in/ray-cecil-b862805b

yetti462

I cut the biggest I've seen in my area.  Guy asked if i wanted it and looked at the grain and told him no.  I hope I didn't mess up by not taking it, looked ugly to me.

Woodpecker52

Around here its looked on as weed!  If on company land it would have been 2-4D ed to death,  I think I would put my money in growing grapes instead of princesses.  If the market for grapes is bad you can always make wine and drink your troubles away!!
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

Waldgänger

Quote from: Almeida on September 10, 2018, 05:57:34 PM
I think I will not have a problem selling the wood as my tree suplier has a partner from the netherlands who is buying and selling this wood for 30 years in several countries.
Thanks I will send an email to that website.
My suplier as planted 1 500 000 trees. He should have a market for them, and he will it jackpot when he sell the wood for all of us who made the plantatiom trough him. Because he will be the one certifying the wood.
Since it is almost four years now. Are there some news about this?
Probably you are not active in the forum on a regular basis, but maybe at some point you will check it again.
I would really like to hear more of it. I am also interested in starting my own paulownia plantation. And deciding whether I do it alone or with a partner like "WeGrow".
And if someone else has more information or other questions, I would love to talk to you :)

kantuckid

For research try including the University of KY Forestry dept in your searches. I used to have their detailed booklet on the tree and seedlings and planting information. It's certainly out there somewhere and very informational. That species never got going here as a serious tree for whatever were the reasons-probably market related? 
Kan=Kansas;tuck=Kentucky;kid=what I'm not

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