Hello all,
Good to be back. I "stepped out" of the forum for a while as I have been busy building a house and barn. Anyway, does anyone out there have any info on the current paulownia market? I have a number of wild trees on my place in Virginia, and I have had paulownia speculators prowling about. Any info would be appreciated.
Wel, Bjorn, last I heard was that the paulownia market was about non-existant, in my part of VA anyway (Winchester). But maybe it's picking back up now. I won't be able to find out anything until after the holidays myself. Maybe somebody else has info.
Here is an old thread in the forum archives (https://forestryforum.com/archives/start_of_something_big.htm)
Someone requesting pawlonia to buy here @ Global wood (http://www.globalwood.org/trade/search.asp)
HI guys
Just cut up some Paulownia my self last week. My first time and I would not have done it at all except that the job was to fell a dangerous tree in the front yard of Clients house and then remove the lot.
Its light like balsa and about as stong I think. The only thing I can think of using it for is shelves (for very light things -perhaps kitchen)
Not really my cup of tea.. much prefer cutting hardwoods.
Andrew
Andy,
I cut some a few years ago and found it to be quite strong. We were amazed that we could stand on two eight or so foot long pieces of 1" x 6" and it wouldn't break. I was just under 300 lbs myself and the other fellow was well over 300 lbs. We did it one at a time, not together, bu the wood bent and held. That's pretty strong for a wood that is usually used in cabinetry. I'll bet it would make some good building material too.
One of it's claims to fame is that it doesn't split when it dries. It also doesn't split when fasteners are driven into it. The fellow with the log said that he had nailed a board up with 16d nails within 1/2 inch of the end and it didn't split.
Keep some of what you cut and make some test with it. I think you will be amazed.
Being in GA, I have been tempted to plant some, though they seem to need a lot of up keep, otherwise they turn into a vine? Is there anyone, outside of the web sites selling the trees, who raises them?
Paulownia is a little bit like the ostrich - the only people making money on them are the ones selling them. There is a LOT of dishonesty in this market. The big buz over Paulownia stems from the high prices paid by Japanese timber buyers beginning in the 1950's and extending into the '80's. This gave a lot of people Paulownia fever. Once trade opened up between China and Japan, the bottom dropped out of the Paulownia market.
But more important is that Paulownia is an invasive weed species, harmful to native plants and forests. It is on the Georgia state list of invasive species, as well as the list of most eastern states. See http://www.invasive.org/eastern/eppc/princess.html for more information.
Seems to me that there are plenty of native species with real markets, and that we shouldn't be planting known noxious plants. Besides, the wood, though it is interesting, being both light and strong, is not very attractive.
Paulownia is used in Japan for many different things. I understand it is traditional for a new Japanese bride to have a bridal chest made out of this species. Most of the wooden japanese musical instruments are made from paulownia. So it has lots of uses in that country, which is why it was a valuable species here in the States. I had heard several times in the 80s and 90s about paulownia yard trees been cut and stolen because it was so valuable.
The characteristics mentioned by other posters here show some of it's valuable physical properties. But as populus says, it's an invasive tree.
I have found it very difficult to get any real info on true value. You here all of these stories about $1,000 a tree, etc. I now have a buyer who I really don't know offering me about 1.50/board foot on the stump. Don't know if I should sell any.
Wow, thank you for the info, it does sound like a weed, I guess I will skip planting it.
So what is the verdict on paulownia wood/trees? Is it worth doing, or is it all hype?
Doc
Good question ???
Tom's right in that it's strong and swing_blade's right that it's light.
It works really well with machines and takes dye and finish well.
I saw it whenever I get the chance, not to seel, but for my own stash.
But is it wortht he effort to plant large amounts of it?
I had considered it in the future for the place I am looking at buying, but if there is no market for the stuff I am not going to plant it. I can find something else to do withthe land instead.
It may be pretty, strong, and light, but if I can't give it away then what is the point in planting it? I sent an email to one of the seedling outfits asking if they had information or links to a buyer for the trees/lumber. Funny thing is I still have yet to get a response from them.
Doc
I know a guy (lawyer) that planted a whole grove of it when the price supposedly went out of sight back a few years ago. For several years he kept em pruned back and cut back so they'd grow and make a straight tree. After a few years he had a big write up in the paper and everything. They look like he's still keeping the lower branches pruned, I stopped back there last fall to get some seeds.
This is a very useful wood.
The leaves and cuttings can be used as animal fodder.
The timber although light and extreamly stable is NOT structural. It can be used but has no rating, same as bulsa.
It is very easy for machining and carving. It is used a lot as a balsa replacement as it is cheaper here in Australia than balsa is.
When cut to 50mmx8mm it is used for 3d bending and shaping for boat construction as it will twist and bend without breaking. It is then glassed for strength.
large surfboards are made from it.
very large tables are made from it 20 to 30ft by 6 to 8ft and 4" thick. Hardwood would be to heavy in large sizes. Takes colouring and has a good grain for tables and slabs.
I have used it for 1" thick doors on kitchen units. Is strong and light and looks good.
Can be used as filler for fire doors 2" will give a 30min rating.
The wood is water based sap and has a tendancy not to burn.
The live trees can be used as a fire break around the house or other plantaions.
When using as a plantation suckers must be kept under control. If you fell a tree you need to use it sooner than later as the trunck will sprout new growth without the need of roots. Roots do go down but the trunk itself will support the new growth for some time.
You need to market the wood but it is very profitable. We get $3000AUD per cubic meter with 10" x 2" boards.
arthur
Andrew and I visited with Arthur on Monday, and had a lovely time.
I was impressed with his Paulownia samples, I had always thought it was a bland light coloured wood...
Here's a couple of photos I took of it:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12389/paulownia%202%20sml.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12389/paulownia%201%20sml.JPG)
I couldn't believe the colour, it's such a pretty honey gold.
asy :D
BJORN, The Info I have found out on paulownia in the Winchester area is that it has pretty much stayed level in price for quite awhile. In other words, you still can get a good price for it, but there is no greter demand for it now. Maybe your paulownia buyer just now discovered your trees.
But $1.50 per foot on the stump sounds darn good to me. If you call our Fairfax County Forester, (should be listed in the government pages of your phone book), maybe she can provide you with a list of paulownia buyers in your area. Then you can call other buyers, and get several bids. This is really the only way to determine market price.
DOC, some thoughts on planting it. When it was found out several years ago that paulownia commanded tremendously high prices, a lot of it was planted. Everybody got on the bandwagon. Therefore, the market will become more saturated and the price should come down. But not all those planters will continue to culture the trees right to create top quality trees. They will get tired of working with them, some won't do it right, some will sell the land, etc. You can still make money at it if you culture it right and produce a high quality tree. And remember that trees store wonderfully well on their stumps. When they finally get big enough to sell, if the market is down, just hold'em for a few years until the price comes back up.
Well, I might have a dilimer on my hands.
Today I built Kim a flower bed across the front porch and part of the side of the house. I built it up out of 6/6's doubled and nailed together and filled it up with over 90 bags of bought top soil. That was the quickest way I knew to get er built and filled up.
I, (we) put some roses and some shrubs in it, along with some assorted flowers and even managed to find room for a couple or three tomato plants.
Also quite a bit of monkey grass I had collected last fall and put in a green house over at my dads for winter storage.
Over there I had also stored quite a large number of paulownia seed pods.
When the kids went to get the grass they piled them pods on top of the wooden drawers I had that monkey grass planted in. By the time they got back here there musta been millions of them seeds scattered on that dirt, it was just about white with em.
By now they're strowed in that flower bed. I'd meant to sprout a few anyways for replanting for some temporary trees but I really hadn't planned to do it by the millions.
I figure if one in a hundred comes up my wife's gonna have her hands full keeping that flower bed thinned out. Twern't my fault, that's what I'm a gonna tell her!!!! ???
Well Charles.
It's sure been real nice knowin ya.
I'll start up on that Epitaph for you then, shall I??
asy :D :D :D :D :D