Monday, December 23, 2013

The Advantages Of Paulownia Trees

By Harriett Crosby


Paulownia trees are very popular species in America. However, only a few Americans know about the origin of the plant. History says that the trees came from china. They were brought by the Chinese traders in the 1880s. Indeed they arrived in America by chance. The Chinese used to wrap their commercial wares using Paulownia leaves which would subsequently shed their seeds on the wares during transit. When the wares arrived in America, the seeds would be thrown to gardens and within no time they would sprout to wonderful plants. Such plants proved to be very beneficial to most of the American farmers.

The tree is the best option in protecting against soil erosion. This is because its roots are known to hold the soil so intact thus preventing any abrasion which might result from water or any other cause. This explains why the tree is found in steep areas where gulley erosion frequently occurs. Moreover, the plant is able to grow in areas which experience high concentration of salts in their soils. As they grow, they absorb the salts in the soil rendering them viable for agriculture to take place.

Paulownia trees purify the air we breathe. This is done by its large leaves which purify dust and smoke particles which are near them. For instance in America and China, the tree is used as the main species for afforestation. This is because the said countries experience high concentration of smoke and dust pollution and Paulownia is the only tree which can efficiently purify this polluted air.

Paulownia provides the best timber. In fact it is a hardwood in nature. This characteristic renders the wood as the one of the most sought after tree as far as furniture making is concerned. For instance China grows approximately 2.5 million trees of this kind per year to supplement the higher demand for this precious hardwood plant. Moreover, the plant grows on its own once harvested. The stump regenerates to new plants once cut. This gives the plant an advantage over other types which need to be planted again from the nursery beds.

Paulownia trees were scientifically known to form a micro climate during dry spells. They did so by transpiration process where they absorbed water from underground wells and evaporate it to the surrounding area through their leaves. This meant that any plant grown near the tree could survive the dry spell. This is because air around it would be made humid by the evaporation process from the Paulownia tree.

Beekeeping has immensely developed due to the growth of this plant. Farmers have realized that bees love to harbor in areas which these woods are grown and fully utilized the chance. They have set up bee hives which on these trees and the results have been amazing. They have been able to harvest, process and sell honey thus earning their livelihood. This is all thanks to the Paulownia plant.

Moreover, the wood has supplemented farmers in making shelter. Because of its lightweight characteristic, the wood has remained as a first choice material in making granaries and other structures. Moreover, it straight grain structure has made it a popular materials in furniture making.

Paulownia trees produce large leaves which are used as animal fodder. This food is nutritionally rich in proteins. It is one of the best foods for cattle, sheep and goats.




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