Paulownia tomentosa/Paulownia. Paulowniaceae. Lamiales. Magnoliopsida. Tracheophyta Commonly called/Princess tree. Empress tree *Named in hornor of Russian Princess Anna Pavlovna Native to/China. Korea Symbolism/Good fortune. Rebirth *known in Japan as “Kiri” it is used in the crests of the Toyotomi family and is currently the official emblem of the Japanese Prime Minister and go ernment. *Genus of 6 species of deciduous tree *Bright light green leaves, to 12in(30cm)long *Fragrant, pinkish lilac flowers,2in(5cm)long *Named after Anna Pavlona(1795-1865), Princess of Netherlands *The name ‘tomentosa’ is Latin for “hairy” or “covered in hairs”. Photographed 4/14 9:10am 2026 Posted 4/17(Friday) 11:48am 2026
Good morning. ☺️ The Empress Tree 🩷💜 is blooming beautifully in soft colors. It's called the "Paulownia Flower," isn't it? I saw some on the grounds of Osaka Castle the other day. Thank you for showing me such a lovely flower. 🐰💗
Good morning. And thanks for beautiful Kiri picture ♪ Never thought it’s Korea/China origin. Known it’s part of government crests but never thought about Toyotomi.
As always, much appreciated your lovely photo accompanied by comprehensive narratives 🪷
Wishing your great week end with smiles all around (^-^)
Yumiko（California U.S.A） SAMA✨ Good mornevening, Yuming !🌅🌃 Your "princess tree" is a refreshing wisteria-purple under the blue sky.💙🍇💜🌿😄🤗👌 In Japan🇯🇵, the "princess tree" is called "kiri.🤔🍀💜 You're familiar with the "Kiri" design from Hanafuda cards, aren't you?🤭🎴💦 Oh, I happened to take a photo of "Kiri"(paulownia flowers) today and posted it on GS !📱💜😊 Oni-chang would like to hear your comments.🙇 In Japan🇯🇵, there was a traditional custom of planting a paulownia tree (Kiri) in the garden when a baby girl👶👧 was born. 🌿 By the time she got married👰♀️, the tree🌲 would have grown enough (approx. 15-20 years) to be crafted into a high-quality chest of drawers (Kiri-tansu) as part of her dowry. 😊👌 Paulownia wood is loved for its fast growth and excellent characteristics, such as being moisture-proof, insect-resistant, and fire-resistant, making it perfect for storing precious kimonos. 👘🤗 Hoitara-ne.🌞✌️
@ﾃﾞｭﾗﾝｻ Good morning! 🌞 Thank you for a message. This tree is only ☝️ around my house. Every year,I visit the guys house. He did not know about this tree. Last year,I educated him about this tree for …several minutes. He was so happy to know it. This tree in front of his house. 🫶 Soon I take him to visit to my house and show my Kiri-no tansu/dress tansu made of Kiri. He will be surprised. My these furniture are premium today. The story of my neighbor. with flower Nice day together! 😊
@ユミ Good morning! That’s right. I can see this tree only ☝️ at my place. I am happy to see these flowers every year at this time. 💕 How are you? You walk~ teku teku~ I see your photos. Nice ones! Have a good day. 😊😊
@ちどり Good morning! Thank you for a message. I love this tree with flowers at this season. Once a year! ☝️we can see this flower. We will have a nice day together! with smile 😊
@ラスカル Good morning! Thank you for a message. That’s right~ the blue sky in California It’s coming. No more rain till October. How are you? We will have a good day today and tomorrow! 😊😊
@太陽の塔 Good morning! What a nice info you had. I had known about that. Traditional stories ~ in Japan. I have here 2 furnitures made of Kiri/designer ones. (Wa-dansu,You-dansu)In those days. No bug, no room~to get in the furniture. Too tight and they made these In those days in 1980. Since I moved in USA, I couldn’t see so many nice furniture made of the great material. I have my bed stuff made of Mahogany. That’s it. Kiri is the best one. 💕 You told the story ~ that’s right. We will have a good day! 😊😊
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) Good morning. 😉✨ We also have a paulownia wood chest of drawers in our home, used as a traditional Japanese chest, and we store our kimonos in it. It seems that the changes in humidity help prevent the kimonos from deteriorating. The paulownia blossoms are lovely, resembling wisteria flowers, and it's a precious wood that makes such beautiful furniture as chests of drawers. 🐰💗
Hello 😃 Even though it's spring, the temperature is already like summer. It seems that many of the flowers bloom earlier than last year. The day when the highest temperature was above 40℃ was a very hot day. （酷暑日:kokusyobi）It seems that there will be more very hot days this summer. I want to get in shape and get my body healthy.
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yuming for your prompt reply !🤗😄👌 You had as many as two Paulownia wood chests（Wa和-dansu&You洋-danru)?!✌️ Oni-chang have a tatami-bed, but your mahogany bed sounds nice, too.🛌😊😴👌 Mahogany belongs to the Meliaceae family and is a high-grade hardwood considered one of the world's three most precious woods. 🌲⛰️☀️👎 It is characterized by its lustrous reddish-brown color and beautiful grain. Due to its high durability and ease of processing, it is used for antique furniture, high-end musical instruments (such as guitars🎸), and luxury car interiors. Often called the "Treasure of the Caribbean."💎🤎🤗✌️ Hoitara-mata-ne. 🤭🌞✌️
@ユミ Good morning! 🌞 Thank you for a message. I am sorry you hurt your finger. Me, too. It happens frequently to me. ~ while I was trimming the roses in my garden. We are working at our garden to keep them healthy ~ all the time. ☝️ We will have a good day today and tomorrow! with our smiles 😊😊
@白シャチ Good morning! Thank you for a message. I have 2 furniture which is made of ‘Kiri’ here. My lovely these furniture had been to California in 2016. I will keep these in my life. (my treasure). 🫶 Let’s go for a good day! 😊
Good morning.☺️✨ I have a traditional Japanese chest of drawers made of paulownia wood, and I saw paulownia trees in Osaka Castle Park. They're also planted in my neighborhood. 🐰💗
@太陽の塔 Good morning! 🌞 Thank you for a message. lovely …Yes. I will keep these until~ 😇 I have started to thinking of some ~ We are getting older~ it’s ok 👍 today. We are ONLY 68 years old. Thinking of my partner, he is 8 years elder to me. I told him “10 more years”. 🫶 And me, too~ I have no will to live longer~. (They say~ those kind of people survive long~)😁 “78years~”. I will be enough about my life. I will think to donate my money to the. World 🌎
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Yuming for your message.😄 Oni-chang happened to take photos of "Paulownia flowers"(Kiri) and posted the photo on GS on 4/18.📸📱🍇 If you like it, please give it your comment or a "Like！"（いいね！）.🙇🌞✌️💦
@ユミ Good morning! How 👍 nice you did! Walking is the best for us. I do,too(speed walking). Relaxing and seeing the flowers ~ it’s gorgeous to us. Keep going with your friends. No stress, no hurting. We smile 😊! Have a great day!
@ﾃﾞｭﾗﾝｻ Good morning! I read your comment. “Traditional Japanese chest”~ of drawers =(tansu). ☝️ You have it(them). Me,too. These furniture started from Yokohama Port~ Hawaii~ San Francisco. Crossed the Pacific Ocean. 😆 I wonder … who could get my Kiri-furnitures? Thank you for a message. Nice day together! 😊
@白シャチ Good morning! Thank you for a message. lovely Yes. I wonder who could get these furnitures in the future after I die. 😁 interesting My two (kiri no tansu), in those days in 1980, it costed very expensive. These are my best friends in my life. 💕. Have a great day! 😊
@ジャスミン Good morning! Nice story, lovely. We are Japanese. Every one love (Kiri) Thank you for a message. * In those days, the parents had a girl and planted this tree , when the girl get married, the parents cut the Kiri and made the furniture for the girl(daughter). (yomeiri dougu). 💕 We Japanese have a nice history about Kiri! I am happy to talk to you . Let’s have a good day! with smile 😊
@太陽の塔 Good morning! I saw your photo again. It’s the nice one! I love story of (Kiri). lovely I have great ones. I put my 👘 kimono(never wear in my life), fur jackets, wool~ cashmeres. They have been with me since 1980. Let’s go for a good day together!😊
@節子 Good morning!🌞 Thank you for a message. This tree is the ☝️ I can see in my place. Precious tree to me(taisetsu na ki/hana). Let’s have a good day! 😊
Good morning. 😊✨☔️ Yes, I don't have many opportunities to wear kimonos these days, but I have some sleeping in my chest of drawers. Thanks to the chest, they are protected from damage and dampness. Yumiko, you also have a paulownia wood chest of drawers, don't you? It seems that the drawers in my chest of drawers are made of that material. Not all of it is paulownia wood. 🐰💗
@Yumiko (California U.S.A) SAMA✨ Thank Youming so much for the immediate "like" 🩷.🙇😄👌 I have seen my post about "Kiri".📱🧐 Paulownia chests are light, durable, and excellent at repelling insects and controlling moisture.🤗🦟🙅♀️ Hoitara-ne. 🌞✌️💦
Commonly called/Princess tree. Empress tree
*Named in hornor of Russian Princess Anna Pavlovna
Native to/China. Korea
Symbolism/Good fortune. Rebirth
*known in Japan as “Kiri” it is used in the crests of the Toyotomi family and is currently the official emblem of the Japanese Prime Minister and go ernment.
*Genus of 6 species of deciduous tree
*Bright light green leaves, to 12in(30cm)long
*Fragrant, pinkish lilac flowers,2in(5cm)long
*Named after Anna Pavlona(1795-1865), Princess of Netherlands
*The name ‘tomentosa’ is Latin for “hairy” or “covered in hairs”.
Photographed 4/14 9:10am 2026
Posted 4/17(Friday) 11:48am 2026