​​Native of Southeast Asia — China, Korea, Japan — Paulownia is a botanical genus (larger set comparing different species). Paulownia tomentosa (scientific name) stands out in Brazil, better known as Japanese Kiri. It adapts well in all climates, being very resistant to cold (-17°C) and heat (+45°C). In addition, it has fast growth — up to 6m in the first year — and is classified as a medium-sized tree, standing between 10 and 25m in height. It has very characteristic broad leaves (10x25cm) that make this plant one of the greatest atmospheric CO2 scavengers, about 10x more than a common tree. It also contributes with a high production of Oxygen, 3 to 4x more than normal plants. These characteristics make paulownia an excellent solution to avoid global warming and the greenhouse effect, in addition to several other characteristics that call it “The Tree of the Future”.

The Japanese Kiri is the ideal tree to recover unproductive soils, especially those affected by processes of desertification due to its deep roots that help to contain soil erosion. It also has deciduous leaves (which fall in winter) rich in Nitrogen (an essential macronutrient for plant growth) which will be gradually released in the decomposition process of these leaves, thus helping otherwise the recovery of unproductive soils. So, in summer we have a plant that provides great shade, in winter it provides light, and in spring it has beautiful violet flowers that unfortunately disappear in a few days.

Made from very noble wood, Paulownia's planting has become a great undertaking due to its productivity and profitability. Its wood has a great concentration of tannin which brings a great advantage; it keeps away termites and weevils, so it can be stored without big worries.

Its different name (Paulownia) originates from the name of the 19th century Russian Princess Anna Pavlovna. Interestingly, she was proposed to marriage by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte, but ended up marrying the King of the Netherlands, where the translation of her name (Pavlovna) into Dutch (Paulownia) gave rise to the tree's current name.

David Weber Surfboards wooden boards mostly use Paulownia wood, with small details in other woods for aesthetic purposes. Until then, we haven't found a wood as light, noble, and resistant as Kiri. Many people wonder why we don't use Balsa wood, as it is the lightest of wood... The answer is that Balsa wood is very fragile, making it impossible to build hollow boards from it. We currently have Paulownia plantations in Alto Paraná and also in Rio Grande do Sul. During the board workshop held in Portugal in 2017, we used Kiri from Spain — iPaulownia — which plants a hybrid of Paulownia fortunei with Paulownia elongata. Thus mixing characteristics of two species for a genetic improvement of wood.

Already widely cultivated and used in Europe, it has applications in the aerospace and nautical industries, musical instruments, surfboards and SUP, structure and even biomass. Therefore, due to its use in various areas; Agriculture, Power Generation, Environment, Science, Art, in addition to its fast growth and profitability, Paulownia shows itself as a very viable alternative for the future. And why not for the present? Take a board with us at our Workshops and purchase a Paulownia seedling. Make a difference for the future of generations to come.