[Wikipedia] Taxonomy: The generic name Paulownia honours Anna Pavlovna of Russia, who was Queen Consort of the Netherlands from 1840 to 1849.[11] The specific epithet tomentosa is a Latin word meaning 'covered in hairs'.[12] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

[Wikipedia] Native Range, Invasiveness: Paulownia tomentosa, common names princess tree,[1] empress tree, or foxglove-tree,[2] is a deciduous hardwood tree in the family Paulowniaceae, native to central and eastern China and the Korean Peninsula.[3][4] It is an extremely fast-growing tree with seeds that disperse readily[5] and is considered an invasive exotic species in North America[6] that has undergone naturalisation in large areas of the Eastern US,[7] even though it might be able to successfully get established through seeds only under ideal conditions.[8] P. tomentosa has also been introduced to Western and Central Europe, and is establishing itself as a naturalised species there as well.[9][10] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)