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Paulownia Tomentosa coppicing.

batladderbatladder Posts: 4
in Plants
Hi all, I have a 3 year old Paulownia Tomentosa that I planted specifically for the big leaves, I don’t want the flowers as I don’t want the seeds to go all over the neighbourhood. I was originally advised to coppice in late spring but now I’ve read conflicting advice online. So I was wondering: 
1. Being mid-May already, is too late in the year to coppice to achieve the big leaves?
2. At 3 years old, is it mature enough to flower if I leave coppicing until next year? If so, I may have to coppice. 

Thanks very much for any input! 

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Possibly a little late, I would leave it until next year.
    Impossible to say whether it will flower this year.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    However, if it does flower you can enjoy the blooms then remove them before the seedheads finish forming. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • greatnorthernexoticgreatnorthernexotic Posts: 119
    I coppiced mine (also about 3 years old) back in March. I now have several side shoot growing and will remove all but the strongest one to ensure the biggest leaves possible.

    If you ensure there is only one growth point (ie by cutting off/pinching off the others), you'll still get the huge leaves you're hoping for.
    Growing tropical and desert plants outdoors in West Yorkshire
    INSTAGRAM/ YOUTUBE
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We cut back in late March early April. We then select the strongest new growths and rub out until we have 5 or 7 which we then allow to grow to highest with the wonderful velvet leaves. It is amazing how much growth is done in such a short time.
    So as others have said probably May is too late. Have they started to show new growth? I don't think that a 3 year old would flower. We have some in the village which are many years old and flowering is superb but I don't think they did as young plants.
  • batladderbatladder Posts: 4
    We already have a good amount of new growth, so I’ll leave the coppicing till next year. Thank you all so much for the advice, I really appreciate it! 
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