Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Benefits 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 growth of these species in areas which experienced high intensities of soil erosion has proved to very beneficial to farmers. The trees have protected farms against any soil abrasion. Their roots could stretch so deep strengthening the soil around it. The soil particles would cling together so strong that no external influence would affect it.

The industrial areas of America were very prone to air pollution. This prompted for an environmental friendly way of minimizing the pollution to be sought. Researchers tried all sorts of plants in vain. All the plants they tried could not grow in such polluted areas. Their zeal led them to try the Paulownia. The plant proved to not only grow in those areas but also help in minimizing air pollution. Its broad leaves efficiently helped in purifying air.

Out of all the hardwood trees grown in China and America, Paulownia species were the lightest and the readily available type. It is for this reason that the wood has remained a popular resource for most carpenters. Its grains were straight and wood is durable. It was neither affected by moisture nor eaten by termites.

Few species of hardwood trees are known to form a micro climate. Paulownia is one of the species. The plant has the ability of absorbing water from underground sources during dry times and evaporating it through its leaves. During the evaporation process, it creates a humid environment around it. This humid environment can support any other plant grown near the tree.

Bee keeping as an economic activity is best supported by this wood. The plant produces purple white flowers with magnificent scent which attracts bees. Numerous farmers in countries like China and Singapore have set up bee hives atop these trees. Bees have inhabited such hives and the results have been a wonderful accumulation of honey in the hives. They harvest such honey and sell to consumers. Through such activity they have been able to earn their livelihood all thanks to this wonderful tree.

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.

Farmers who grow Paulownia trees and keep livestock highly rarely do struggle to search for the animals feed. The reason is that the plants do produce large leaves which can be cut to form food of the animal. The leaves are very nutritional as they are very rich in proteins and fiber.




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