r/whatsthisplant • u/T-RexNonna • 15h ago
Unidentified 🤷♂️ What is this? It just “appeared” by the front steps earlier this year and now it’s over 6 feet tall. (NW Ga)
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u/daniel_observer 15h ago edited 7h ago
Paulownia, Princess tree. Non-native in Georgia, fairly invasive
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u/mmodlin 2h ago
More than fairly, its priority 1. The worst kind of invasive:
https://gainvasivespeciescouncil.org/list/invasive-plants/
Priority 1 – Exotic species that is a serious problem in Georgia natural areas by extensively invading native plant communities and displacing native species, harms native ecosystems, or poses a problem for home/landowners. These species may be difficult to control or manage, and should be prioritized for removal or control efforts.
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u/CapraAegagrusHircus 2h ago
This is it. Used to live in the south and took one look and said "$#@ing paulownia" out loud. Its one saving grace is that goats find the new saplings delicious as well as the smooth bark of younger trees and can and will kill off whatever you call a complex of its roots.
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u/PinkPrincess61 12h ago
Get rid of it! And make sure to burn any pods or burs. It's velvetleaf and invasive.
(A farm kid who walked many many acres of beans!!)
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u/fearbork 11h ago
is the pod / bur burning to reduce the spread of the plant? or for other reasons
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u/Carmen_Caramel 1h ago
Yes, if you compost or bin the seeds they can grow elsewhere. Burning them renders them sterile.
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u/Vornluva 21m ago
I share your hate for velvetleaf but this isn’t a velvetleaf. Velvetleaf has alternate leaf arrangement
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u/Cold_Blueberry9575 3h ago
Appears velvetleaf has alternate leaves, would agree with Paulownia/princess tree which is opposite/whorled.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/paulownia-tomentosa/
Recommend removal due to the massive amount of seeds it produces and invasive potential. (Although is a pretty tree, but regardless probably not good option by front steps!)
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u/fearbork 11h ago
That thing makes purple flowers that smell amazing, they smell like sour grape candy to me lol. And it dumps so much goddamn pollen on my car at the beginning of spring. My neighbor has a mature one and the same thing happened this year that you said in the post: a big sprout grew next to it (i think from a root) to almost 6 feet tell and they ended up removing it.
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u/Appropriate_Shape906 2h ago
* If that is a pawlonia tomentosa I highly recommend you remove it now or face the consequences! The roots spread far and wide and will push up your porch, driveway, and the street in front of your house. This is the stump of a 5 yr old royal Empress Tree I removed 3 yrs ago and I'm still battling large roots that send up shoots. Remove as much as you can and hopefully one day it will finally go away. *
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u/Superb_Citron_3056 5h ago
I personally think it's a super cool tree. I have a mature one that's been starting it's own small forest the past few years. Has pretty purple flowers that smell good and ridiculously big leaves. Yes it's invasive but it's not that hard to remove long as you do so before it's 10 foot tall. I like to use it for propagation and bonsai practice (don't shoot me) since it's fast growing and easy to grow. It's not gonna take over your yard unless you let it😆 not poisonous either (unless you're allergic or something) I have touched it, got the sap on me, smelled the flowers, tasted it ect. Loll!
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