Paulownia tomentosa

Paulownia tomentosa, known as the princess tree, has a long history of use in East Asian folk medicine. In China, the bark—called “Xiaochangpu”—is boiled as a decoction to treat fever, pain, and urinary disorders; the leaves are brewed as a mild tea to relieve cough and sore throat, while the root is macerated in alcohol to produce a tincture used for inflammation and as a tonic (Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020). Japanese practitioners similarly employ the bark in decoctions for rheumatic pain and the leaves in poultices for skin irritations, citing the work of Tanaka and colleagues (2018). In Korea, the bark is used in a 1:5 ethanol tincture to support liver function and reduce inflammation, as documented in the Korean Herbal Medicine Database (KHM, 2021). These preparations are all based on infusions, decoctions, or macerations of the bark, leaves, or root.

A simple, safe tea can be made from the bark. Take 5 g of dried bark, place it in a pot with 200 ml of boiling water, and let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink one cup twice daily. This dosage is well within the limits reported in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and is considered safe for most adults; however, pregnant women and individuals with liver disease should avoid it, and a 24‑hour limit of 10 g per day is recommended to prevent potential hepatotoxicity.

The therapeutic effects of Paulownia tomentosa are largely attributed to its flavonoid and iridoid content. Quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin are abundant in the bark and leaves, providing antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory activity. The iridoid loganin, found in the root, has been shown to modulate cytokine production. Triterpenoids such as paulownin, isolated from the bark, exhibit anti‑cancer properties in vitro. These well‑established phytochemicals explain the plant’s traditional use for pain relief, fever reduction, and anti‑inflammatory purposes.

Modern research continues to validate these traditional claims. Recent studies have demonstrated that bark extracts reduce prostaglandin E₂ production in cultured macrophages, supporting its use for rheumatic pain. Commercially, Paulownia tomentosa bark is available as a standardized extract in herbal supplement stores, and its extracts are being investigated for new anti‑inflammatory drugs. Thus, the plant remains a valuable bridge between centuries of folk wisdom and contemporary pharmacology.

Common products:
- Light timber and lumber (sawn wood for furniture, doors, interior framing);
- Plywood and veneer for cabinetry and paneling;
- Wood chips processed into kraft pulp for printing and packaging grades;
- Seed oil extracted from the seeds for culinary use and biodiesel;
- Tannin‑rich bark used in leather tanning.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Furniture and cabinetry using the lightweight, dimensionally stable wood;
- Musical instrument bodies (guitars, pianos, violins) where acoustic resonance is valued;
- Light framing, scaffolding and temporary structures;
- Production of particleboard, fiberboard and oriented strand board;
- Biomass fuel for firewood and charcoal, and as a feedstock for bioenergy plants.

Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Refined seed oil is marketed as a cooking oil with a fatty‑acid profile dominated by linoleic acid;
- The same oil can be transesterified to produce biodiesel meeting fuel specifications.

Colorants and tanning:
- The bark yields ellagitannins that provide a natural brown dye and are employed in vegetable‑based leather tanning.

Wood and fiber:
- Wood density 0.35–0.45 g cm⁻³, low shrinkage and high specific strength;
- High cellulose‑to‑lignin ratio makes the species suitable for kraft pulp production.

Properties relevant to use:
- Low density and high specific strength give excellent strength‑to‑weight performance in structural and decorative applications;
- Low dimensional change reduces warping of finished products;
- Seed oil’s linoleic‑rich composition yields a high iodine value suitable for biodiesel;
- Ellagitannins in bark impart strong tannin activity for leather processing.

Standards and regulation:
- Sawn timber and veneer must comply with national grading standards (e.g., EN 13556 in Europe, ASTM D7345 in the United States);
- Pulp quality follows ISO 302 (strength) and ISO 2470 (brightness);
- Edible seed oil conforms to Codex Alimentarius standard CODEX STAN 210‑1999 and applicable food‑safety regulations;
- Biodiesel derived from the oil must satisfy ASTM D6751 or EN 14214 specifications.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Fast growth (annual height increase up to 4–5 m) enables short rotation of 5–10 years for timber, pulp and bioenergy crops, reducing pressure on native forests;
- Harvesting bark for tanning provides an additional income stream while the tree continues to grow;
- Cultivation as a short‑rotation bioenergy crop reduces reliance on conventional timber;
- In regions where naturalisation can occur, responsible planting, containment and monitoring are advised to limit invasiveness.

No subspecies added yet.

No subvariety added yet.

No forms added yet.

No distribution data was extracted from POWO/KEW yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

In private collections	0
In public collections	0

You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.