I've read several articles and university publications on the high value of paulonia wood (mainly in the Japanese market). The wood is utilized for ornamental and non-structural uses. Legend has it that at one time in Japanese history these trees could only be used by royalty (perhaps someone could respond on that point). They grow extremely fast and are well suited to a variety of sites (I' ve seen two year old seedlings 4" dbh and 10' tall on extremely xeric road cuts). The number of rings per inch is a consideration in the value of the lumber, but even an extremely low RPI can be profitable. To answer your question, yes. However, from an ecological stand point, paulownia can be classified as a biological pollutant. This tree is, as you may already know, an exotic and highly invasive. It's a prolific seeder, can disperse seed for miles, has a high germination rate, and can grow in a wide range of edaphic conditions. This tree has naturalized in many parts of the U.S. and spreads in large numbers along highway cooridors, utility ROW's, fire scars, and areas defoliated by insects. There are some things that aren't addressed by the traditional economic analysis. Remember how the gypsy moth got here.
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