Empress Tree
FAMILY: SCROPHULARIACEAE
About Empress Tree at OSU's Landscape Plants site
Native to China and Korea.
Height can approach 100’.
Leaves are very large, heart-shaped, and fuzzy; they resemble the leaf of a sunflower.
Flowers appear in long (1’) upright clusters; fragrant, violet in color; resembling giant snapdragons.
Fruit is a large capsule full of tiny seeds; it was packing material of the 19th century protecting shiploads of china from Asia. The pods were tossed out along the East Coast railroad tracks, causing this tree to naturalize in the eastern U.S.
Tree is fast-growing. Wood is used in Japan for sandals (geta) and some furniture.
Not very common in Portland.
#51 is the largest in city and was planted in the late 1800s.
| Tree # | Location | Dimensions | Photo and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Public, School District 1 | 60' Height 51' Spread 17.5' Circ. | This tree is in the school yard, to the south of NW 20th in Couch Park.  |