AMERICANPAULOWNIA

ASSOCIATIONVOL. 15 NO. 2 SEPTEMBER 2006

First, the writer is incompetent as a review-er of a juried paper on paleobotany in a scien-tific journal. He is neither paleontologist norbotanist. He is a farmer. The language of thepaper being reviewed is alien to him. Thisattempt is to extract some bits of informationthat may be of use to growers, promoters, andprotectors of Paulownia.

First, some definitions. Pre-history hasbeen divided into periods for convenience ofstudy. Often the divisions used correspond togeologic changes-changes being a relativeterm since many of the "changes" occurredover many millions of years. There have beenseveral such schemes of dividing up the past.As a matter of fact, the Tertiary Period referredto in this 1961 article is part of an obsoletescheme. The Tertiary Period in this articlewent from about 66 million years ago to about26 million years ago. Fossils attributed to thistime are found in rock strata that are associat-ed with geologic events that can be tied to thisperiod of pre-history.

Fossils themselves are rocks; rocks whoseformation was influenced by the remains ofliving matter that was present during their for-mation. Animal bones buried under sedimenteventually-over many, many years, maybe mil-lions-have their cellular structure chemicallyreplaced by chemicals in the sediment andoften a clear representation of the remains isleft. This is a permanent record of what, com-pared to stone, was soft tissue.

The tissue structure of plant matter can alsobe buried in sediment. Remember that theearth was a very busy place during its devel-opment, and a lot of rock, soil, etc., was mov-ing around. The shape of the tissue, evenminute vein structure, is preserved this way.The fossilized preservation is precise enoughfor exact botanical identification to be made,even millions of years after the sediment is laiddown.

In this February 1961, article in theAmerican Journal of Botany, Charles J. Smiley

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PAULOWNIA IS NATIVE TO NORTH AMERICA"A Record of Paulownia in the Tertiary of North America"

American Journal of Botany48(2); 175-179 Illus. 1961

Charles J. SmileyMacalester College; St. Paul, Minnesota

Reviewed by Ralph Donaldson

2 SEPTEMBER 2006

President’s Message. . .

Hello Members and Friends,

This issue finds the growing season nearing an end as we prepare for thedormant season. Actually, there is activity in the Association in preparing forthe Spring meeting.

The Board of Directors had a meeting in early September at Wytheville,Virginia doing business of the Association. This is the occasion where input from members and other sources are built into the future deliberations and operations. Our major task is to plan for the Spring meeting. We had our first Spring meeting in South Carolina last year and it was a huge success due to Ralph, Grady, and Buck. It also

seems like our new corporate format is working well with the organization headquarters at Hagerstown with Past President Danny and Secretary-Treasurer Sharoncontinuing their excellent support.

We think you'll find some very interesting news in this issue, and we pledge to continue searching forthe best information to inform members and make their jobs more interesting and rewarding. I've beengiving talks and writing about my branding initiative, projecting Paulownia as the "wonder wood".More will be in a later issue.

Have a good Fall and Winter. Thanks for your membership, cooperation, and support.

Vince Luchsinger

Once before in this newsletter, I wroteabout the importance of considering thesource of information as well as being general-ly critical of the vast amount of Paulowniainformation available. Because it is so easy towidely disseminate information instantlythese days, anybody can do it. And that makesit critically important to evaluate the source ofthe information in judging its credibility. It isa "buyer beware" world, and the Paulowniabusiness is no different.

Before you hire someone, it is prudent tocheck references-more than one or two, andbeyond those offered by the applicant. Beforeyou rent to someone, it is prudent to check ref-erences-more than one or two, and beyondthose offered by the applicant. Before you putyour life savings into someone's hands, is itnot prudent to check references-more than oneor two, and beyond those offered by that per-son? This is so very important.

Are Paulownia trees "chinchillas withoutfur" or "emus without feathers?" They havebeen called that, and you know they can be ifyou permit an unscrupulous person or compa-ny to take advantage of you. It depends inlarge part on the truthfulness and integrity ofthe person or company you are dealing with.Chinchillas and emus enriched a few peoplewho got in quick, sold a lot of breeding stock,and got out quickly, before their commitmentsbecame due. You must have a written, validand legal contract. And you must have a con-tract with someone who respects that contractas much as you do to minimize future misun-derstandings and unforeseen disagreements.

How can we know whom we can safelydeal with? Just like hiring and renting, onevery effective tool is references; and again,more than one or two. The AmericanPaulownia Association publishes and distrib-

Let The Buyer Beware

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SEPTEMBER 2006 3

reported finding fossils, over 500 fossils ofleaves, of Paulownia Tomentosa in Tertiarystrata of Ellensburg Canyon of Washingtonstate, U.S.A. Dr. Smiley described the struc-ture of the leaves and, ruling out all similarlystructured leaves, identified them positively asPaulownia. He examined fossils of many moretrees in the Ellensburg formation and identi-fied them as trees that normally co-habitatewith Paulownia. He described the climate ofwhat is now the northwestern United Statesduring the Tertiary Period as being essentiallyideal for the growth of Paulownia. And heattributed extinction of northwestern NorthAmerican Paulownia to glaciation in later iceages.

Well, there it is. There has been scientificevidence that Paulownia is native to what isnow the continental United States for 45 years!Designation of Paulownia as a non-nativespecies by the United States Department ofAgriculture was either in spite of the facts, orin ignorance of the facts; thereby, raising ques-tions concerning the lack of "due diligence"with respect to any plant, insect or animalspecies labeled non-native. The designation ofPaulownia as a non-native to North Americashould be retracted immediately.

The reviewer has already admitted to beingneither botanist nor paleontologist. He also isneither politician nor bureaucrat. The ideathat such harmful labeling might be practicedand held on to by agencies chartered to protectthe public good is as alien as some of the lan-guage of this article to a South Georgia farmer.

Credits: Danny Blickenstaff has thought foryears that fossil evidence of Paulownia grow-ing in North America in pre-historic timesshould exist. Jack Dickey, having spent someof his early years nearby, had heard somethingabout Paulownia fossils in Ellensburg Canyon,Washington. George Newsome actually foundthe Journal of Botany article and shared it withDanny Blickenstaff. The author of this reviewmerely held the pen during the writing.

(continued from page 1)

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NOW SEEKING CONTRACT GROWERS FOR PLANTATION PAULOWNIA AND OIL PALM(ONE ACRE TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRES)

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For further information contact us at the above address or phone numbers, or by email attropaul@wavegate.com and at our website: www.dickeyseed.com

4 SEPTEMBER 2006

The Paulownia Mail BoxMr. A. wrote on 8-29-2006:Subject: Seeking Paulownia information

Just last spring, I learned of the Paulownia. That single, beautiful tree has lead to much researchtime on the Internet.

My family has some unplanted acreage southwest of Fort Worth, Texas. As I browse the Internetfor information, I see quite a lot of conflicting information. Your site seems to be very positiveabout the commercial potential of these trees, while I have also found articles comparing them toEmus (and the large sums of money lost on that "crop"). Further, I have been completely unableto find any information on their water needs(looking for inches per year, gallons per week, etc). Nor have I found a single site offering to pur-chase logs or lumber.

To further confuse matters, I find that some of the sellers of these trees do not respond to email,and/or have not updated their websites in a couple of years. This seems to suggest that these peo-ple are out of the business. Also, some bulletin boards suggest that the trees are very weak, andsubject to limb-breakage in wind (causing one to wonder about the strengthof the wood).

So, given all of that I found a couple of key questions that I'm hoping you can answer:

* In objective, measurable, terms how much water is required by a tree subject to consistent sum-mer temperatures in excess of 100-degrees, in full sun?

* Is Paulownia suitable for log homes?

My thinking is that any tall, upright tree that we can grow successfully will add character toour land. And, if a market for the timber never develops, I could at least build a log-house in 10-15 years.

Thanks in advance for your time.

*****************************Dear Mr. A.

Thank you for your inquiry regarding Paulownia, the water needs and marketing issues.You are correct in stating that there are numerous sites with conflicting information out there.

The American Paulownia Association is committed to providing honest, timely and substantiatedinformation about Paulownia. We are also a group of dedicated individuals such as; researchers,growers, buyers, sellers, fabricators, etc. I have attached a list of publications and newsletters thatare made available to the public so that an informed decision may be made before committing toan investment in Paulownia. As for some of the web site contacts being non responsive or out-of-date, that is solely an individual responsibility to maintain current posted information.

Water needs of Paulownia will vary with species selected and the general climate in which theyare grown. All species require good drainage and a soil that allows for deep root system develop-

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SEPTEMBER 2006 5

WALNUT COUNCILWe are an association of over 1,000

members representing foresters,researchers, and growers of walnut andother fine hardwoods in 45 states and 4

foreign countries. One of our objectives isto transfer forestry research and other

useful information from the laboratory tothe timber grower.

4545 Northwestern Drive, Suite CZionsville, Indiana 46077

Tel: 317-802-0332 • Fax: 317-471-4230

MEMBERSHIP DUESJust an advance reminder that annual dues are payable in the Association's office on-or-before

February 1, 2007. Your dues are what pay for the publication of the quarterly newsletter, postage,and other basic costs of operating our non-profit organization. All of our loyal members partici-pate at some level. Officers and State Directors serve by donating their time and energies in theconduct of the organization's business, some members provide information for publication, someconduct research, and some provide presentations and host field trips at our conventions. All thewhile, all members pay their annual dues that keep our Association viable and moving forward.

Yearly dues remain at a modest $25.00 US for members residing in the continental UnitedStates while those in US territories and foreign counties remain at $50.00 US. Send your dues innow and save the Secretary the time and postage necessary to send you a reminder next year.

6 SEPTEMBER 2006

utes to members an annual Membership List.Call three or so members and check out whoyou are considering doing business with. Itmight save you a lot of heartache, or worse.

Predatory business practices have leftmany "good intentioned" people with aban-doned plantations throughout the country.Certification of business practices, membersanctions, and removing members are allbeyond the scope of the Association. However,always know whom you are dealing with.Know their history and reputation. Insist onvisiting plantations they have established andmaintained, if that is to be part of your deal. Ifthe financial commitment warrants, insist onnames and businesses with which they havehad similar business relationships with in thepast, and if they refuse to provide that infor-mation, be forewarned. And, for goodnesssake, get references other than those they offer,and do not forget the Better Business Bureau.

When it comes right down to it, yourmoney and assets are your responsibility. TheAssociation and your member friends do notwant to see you get hurt, but "due diligence"on your part is absolutely essential.

Let the buyer beware!

PUBLICIST NOTE: On more than one occa-sion, letters, phone calls and e-mails from bothAssociation members and the public alikehave been received expressing concern anddisfavor over certain members private busi-ness practices. I consistently respond by stat-ing that, "The American PaulowniaAssociation does not endorse the businesspractices of individual members and business-es." After reading the above article, so elo-quently written by our Editor, the followingstatement, also by our Editor, following thelast Board of Directors meeting, further placesthe whole issue into proper context:

"The American Paulownia Association is amembership organization of people whoexpress interest in the organization, give avalid address, and send a good $25 check. Theorganization cannot police the business prac-tice of its members. Those wishing to do busi-ness with anyone they do not know, or withwhom they have not done business with previ-ously, should get and check references consci-entiously."

(continued from page 2)

SEPTEMBER 2006 7

ment. As a rule of thumb, Paulownia will survive on as little as 45 inches of moisture per year dur-ing the growing season, they prefer 60-80 inches and can even suffer heavy rainfall climates in the125 inches plus if well drained. There have been failures in the past with growing Paulownia inthe Texas region because of inadequate irrigation, wrong species selection and poor site and plan-tation maintenance. All of these failures could have been prevented with appropriate planningand follow through, this is one reason that the American Paulownia Association was formed 15years ago to provide that information to its members.

Paulownia is a relatively new wood for the United States and until very recently, only wild slowgrowth trees were harvested and exported to the Far East. Paulownia plantation trees in this coun-try have yet to come to market in large quantities necessary to impact and establish a robustdomestic market. There are very active regional niche markets for the highest-grade lumber.Current uses include house siding, garage doors, boat building, furniture, OSB and veneer ply-wood fabrication, snow and surf board cores, etc.

There are members in our Association that do use Paulownia logs for log cabin construction andpost-beam furniture. I have personally used Paulownia wood for new home construction includ-ing; rake board, siding, fascia board and porch beam fabrication. I also have a business engagedin the growing of Paulownia nursery plants, timber production, buying Paulownia timber andbrokering Paulownia lumber worldwide. It has been a profitable venture for me and I anticipatethat the domestic market will continue to increase rapidly in the years ahead.

My advice at this time would be for you to join the Association and avail yourself of all of theinformation at membership rates before beginning your venture. Attending an Association confer-ence would also be very helpful so that you may meet, discuss and have any questions answeredby knowledgeable members.

Best Wishes For A Successful Venture,D.B.

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8 SEPTEMBER 2006

The opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the American Paulownia Assn. Inc. Reproduction of these articles is welcomed.Acknowledgment of its source would be appreciated.

PresidentDr. Vince Luchsinger

4406 Stetlz RoadNew Freedom, PA 17349-9794

(717) 235-0846

Vice-PresidentRalph Donaldson

1141 Deerfield LaneDublin, GA 31021

(478) 984-5344

Secretary-TreasurerSharon Blickenstaff16345 Mt. Tabor Rd.

Hagerstown, MD 21740-1030(301) 790-3075 • Fax (301) 790-1717

EditorRalph Donaldson

1141 Deerfield LaneDublin, GA 31021

(478) 984-5344

Past PresidentDanny Blickenstaff

16345 Mt. Tabor Rd.Hagerstown, MD 21740-103

(301) 790-2372

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