Comments on: Tree Tidbits to Use in Telling Tales

By: CD

CD — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:16:19 +0000

I was told this Paulwownia was introduced in colonial times from China for merchants. The main use were the pods the trees produce. At that time,most products (hardware,fruit,or liquids) were transported in barrels because the ease of rolling the containers. The exception for crates was for breakable items like glassware.The pods were used like packing peanuts today. After the crates were unpacked,the merchant would dump the pods out back, maybe by a steam,and the seed found its way into our environment.

By: Norm

Norm — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 08:36:38 +0000

Here in VA, Paulownia grows by the side of the road and is quite frequent, even in back yards. I had one at my former home. I don’t know of it being grown for production in this region, but it is quite available.

By: Joanna Takes

Joanna Takes — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:03:08 +0000

Morris, as I mentioned in the post, some of this has been covered in the Today's Woodworker write-ups of the Woodworker's Journal eZine, and some in the Shop Talk section of our print Woodworker's Journal magazine -- but one of the "wood" books I enjoy is The Meaning of Trees: Botany, History, Healing, Lore by Fred Hageneder (Chronicle Books, ISBN 978-0811848237).

By: Morris

Morris — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:17:19 +0000

Cool stuff. When’s the book coming out?