NordMax21® Royal Empress Tree

Record-Breaking Growth and Improved Cold Tolerance

Plant the world's fastest growing tree in your yard - and watch it thrive even in colder climates! The Royal Empress Tree - also known as the Princess Tree and by its botanical name, Paulownia - can grow up to 15 in a single year, making it perfect for fast shade and instant landscape appeal.

Our NordMax21 Empress Tree, a brand new and improved cultivar, has the same features you know and love about the Royal Empress - incredibly fast growth, easy care requirements, environmental benefits and strong, high-quality wood. But this cultivar is unique for its cold tolerance and resistance to frost - unlike the typical Royal Empress, it can survive temperatures down to -10 degrees! 

Along with its signature large, vibrant green leaves and fast-growing habit, you'll get an abundance of fragrant, lilac-purple blooms in late spring, giving you even more impact from this hard-working tree.

And the best part? It's a sustainable planting choice. It's non-invasive and low-maintenance, and its sturdy, lightweight wood is a popular choice for everything from construction and interior design to surfboards and guitars.

Plus, it's quick growth will ensure a cooler yard and cleaner air - faster. Royal Empress trees can absorb four times the CO2 of beech and oak trees!

If you're looking for a fast-growing shade tree, don't miss out on this record-breaking tree - the Nordmax21 Royal Empress fits the bill.

Looking for a different Royal Empress? Check out the new Phoenix One cultivar.

Planting & Care

1. Planting: Empress Trees are nearly indestructible once they have become established, but do require some care in their early stages of growth. Full sun and well-draining soil are essential to the health of the tree. Ensure you plant your Empress well away from foundations, sidewalks and other structures.

Plant your tree after the last frost, or when surrounding plants begin to bud out. For best results, mix in potting soil or soil conditioner, especially if planting in clay or poor soil. Make your hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball, place the tree in the hole, and spread the roots out evenly. Water the area to moisten/settle the soil and then broadcast a good layer of mulch to preserve soil moisture and keep weeds and grasses back.

2. Watering: When the top 2 to 3 inches of the soil is dry, add water. As a rule, let the soil surrounding the tree dry out before watering. If your tree is wet upon arrival, skip the initial watering for two days.

3. Fertilizing: Empress Trees love organic fertilizer high in nitrogen. Check to make sure the first of the three numbers on your organic fertilizer is higher than the others, indicating an extra boost of nitrogen (example: 20-10-10). You can fertilize twice a month in the growing season, and stop fertilizing before the tree goes back into dormancy. Additional fertilizing should only be done after the first year.

4. Pruning: Let your tree grow for one entire year. If your Empress Tree did not grow at least 4 feet before winter dormancy, we recommend that you cut it to the ground at the very start of spring (a process called "coppicing"). This may seem odd, but it will grow a bunch of small sprouts. Select the “alpha” of the bunch and pinch the others off. This will focus all of the nutrients into that one growth and become a very straight, beautiful tree.