12961 Paulownia tomentosa – Empress Tree

Description

The empress tree, also known as princess tree, reaches heights of 12 to 15 metres when mature and is a much admired tree and something very rare. Numerous, pink-violet flowers show between April and May growing on 40 cm tall berries. In Asia, the legendary “phoenix that rose from the ashes” is said to have used the empress tree as a resting place.