Are Paulownia and Wutong the same kind of tree?

The sycamore tree and the Paulownia tree are not the same kind of trees. They have many differences. First of all, they belong to different families and genera. The sycamore tree belongs to the genus Sterculiaceae and the genus Indus, while the Paulownia tree belongs to the genus Scrophulariaceae and the genus Paulownia. In addition, their plant types are different. The sycamore tree has a relatively tall plant type, reaching a height of about 15 to 20 meters, while the Paulownia tree has a relatively short plant type, only about 7 or 8 meters tall. And the leaves of the sycamore tree are heart-shaped, while the leaves of the paulownia tree are long ovoid and heart-shaped.

Are Paulownia and Wutong the same tree?

Although Wutong and Wutong have similar names, they are not the same kind of trees and are quite different. They have the following differences:

Different families and genus: The sycamore tree is a tree belonging to the family Sterculiaceae and the genus Paulownia, also known as Qingtong and Tongma, while the Paulownia tree is a tree belonging to the Scrophulariaceae family and the genus Paulownia. The two are essentially different.

The plant types are different: the sycamore tree has a relatively tall plant type, reaching a height of about 15 to 20 meters, while the Paulownia tree has a relatively low plant type, not that high, only about 7 or 8 meters.

The leaves of the Paulownia tree are different: the leaves of the Wutong tree are heart-shaped, with a relatively smooth surface and no hair on the leaves, while the leaves of the Paulownia tree are in the shape of a long ovate heart-shaped leaf with an entire edge and no hairs on the leaves. Has fine fuzz.

The flowers are different: the flowers of the sycamore tree bloom from June to July every year, and the flower color is yellow-green. The flowers of Paulownia bloom in April-May every year, and the colors are lavender and white.

Characteristics of Paulownia

The bark of Paulownia is usually gray, gray-brown or gray-black. The bark is smooth when the plant is young and rough when it is old. Its leaves The leaves are single and opposite. The leaves are oval in shape, hairless on the surface, and covered with white star-like hairs on the back. The leaves have long stalks and there are hairs on the stalks.

Characteristics of the sycamore tree

The sycamore tree can grow very high, reaching a height of 15 to 20 meters. Its bark is green or gray-green in color, its branches are thick, and its leaves are large and broad-ovate. Shape, slightly shorter in length than width, with several thick serrations on the edge, and the petiole is densely covered with yellow-brown hairs.

Illustration of the difference between Wutong and Paulownia