PlantFiles: Tung-Oil Tree, China Wood Oil Plant, Tung Nut
Vernicia fordii

See it all over Charleston, SC as an unstorey tree. Called it the pink snow tree until I learned the true name. Reseeds but seedlings easily pulled up.

Positive with a few caveats: this plant can be horrifically messy if planted where it can drop seeds on a driveway or patio. The seeds are very oily, and leave a dark, greasy stain where they fall.
No option when I tried to add 'propagation' information to the database, but the seeds sprout readily all around a mature tree.
Very beautiful flowers.

Walking on a trail on the south facing bluffs above Madison, Indiana(zone 7, zip 47250) on the Ohio River this past November (2010) I came across these big leaves that weren't obviously Catalpa and the trunks of the trees supported that observation. I grew up in Southern Indiana and have familiarity with almost all the common tree species in the area, especially those with distinctively large leaves. I found empty hulls on the ground under some of the trees and brought them home to try a identify this mystery tree. Tung oil has been the only fit based on my visual research but the growth zone issue seems to be the only obstacle to repudiate that prognosis. My parents, aunts and uncles having grown up in that area had no knowledge of such trees growing in IN or KY and none of those state's official plant info websites have any mention of them. Madison's south facing bluffs get significant sun exposure and that area and across the river in Kentucky are a substantial pocket of zone 7. Since northern AL, MS, and GA are zone 7, I have question whether tung oil tree's have gotten adapted to colder climes. Anybody have any insight?

February 1, 2012
Back this past fall I found out from an article in an Indiana agricultural related monthly paper that what I have found is the Empress Tree (also known as Paulownia tomentosa, Princess Tree or Foxglove Tree). This was from a Purdue ag extension agent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia_tomentosa gives a nice quick description of the particulars of this tree.

I have this tree growing in woods about 20 feet from the back of my house. They only grow in the lower half I think because it is more moist there. It blooms around April and when it is blooming it is beautiful. The tree is probably 40 ft tall. The leaves are hugh about the size of a plate. It took me over a year to find out what it was and then after I found that out I found that the developement I live in used to be a Tung-Oil plantation. I have some snapshots if anyone is interested. I guess I can't show them here.

I came across this tree at my grandmother's hairdresser, (Prosperity, South Carolina) The tree was forming its pods and I loved the large heart shaped leaves. I did go back and get pods, I am germinating now in hopes that maybe my kids can plant for Arbor day. I am very excited to have this tree in my garden now that I see what it looks like in bloom...yea me.
7-22-2011, trees were planted and now they have dissappeared, either some critter has pulled them out of the ground and took them off, or someone has stolen them...They are gone, guess I have to work with my last seed pod and try again.

I will be getting a Tung Oil Tree in trade. Does anyone know how it will do in Zone 6B (Central NJ). If it's pushing it to plant outside here, how about in a pot in a conservatory?

We are just back from Charleston, and YES, there is ONE and only one, of these trees there. Not one person could I find that could recognize the gorgeous little blosson I carried all over town trying to get it identified. After circling the block MANY times hoping to spot the owner, he was finally outside and said it had been there 50 yrs, and he'd never seen another in one. The tree was absolutely loaded with it's gorgeous teeny blosooms (like a wee miniature TINY hybiscus); the striations down the center are coral-colored, and they LITTERED the drive-way beneath the tree beside the tree being just covered. Gorgeous, is all I can say. Too bad it is poisonous, but you wouldn't be likely to put any part in your mouth. Gorgeous in bloom and fairly tall. (he called it 'tongue oil' tree)

These grow very well here and grow quite large. I have two smaller trees on my property that are about 15 feet tall. There is one that grows in the woods near our house that is at least 30 feet. They are not evergreen here. The leaves turn yellow in the fall and drop. They are great for using in the yard since they are so large. The flowers are beautiful in the spring. These have survived snow once in the last 5 years and freezing temps several times each winter.

Tung-oil trees do border on invasive for us. I pull at least 30 a year, but they are easy enough to spot because of the large leaves. The roots do not run deep so they are easy to pull up.

The growing habit of the smaller trees are interesting because there is just one long straight trunk with a burst of limbs out the top of it. I harvest the 6 foot ones for use in my vegetable garden each year.

I saw this tree growing in the yard of one of Charleston, SC historic homes, Zone 8. It was bearing seed at the time.

this plant requires a minimum temperature of 45F