PAULOWNIA INFORMATION SHEET APENDIX A

HISTORY

Paulownia was imported into Europe at the beginning of 1800 by a Dutch company called VereenigdeGeoctroyeerde Oostindische Compagnie. It has taken its current name from the Russian noblewomanAnna Pavlovna, daughter of Tsar Pavel I (1818). By the middle of the century it had spread out overthe whole territory of Italy because of its qualities.

They say it was the favourite tree of Alessandro Manzoni (1785 - 1873). He wrote his greatest work,'The Betrothed', under its shade in Milan, Italy. Its strong scent inspired Gabriele d'Annunzio (1863 -1938) in his home garden in Pescara, Italy.

INTRODUCTION

Paulownia, also known as the 'Princess tree' or the 'Phoenix tree', is a hardwood tree, and is alsoamong the world's fastest growing trees. Under suitable conditions, the PAULOWNIA species mayexceed 15m in height in 3 years, which makes them an excellent source of timber. At least 11 clonesof Paulownia are known, such as P.Elongate, P.Fargesii, P.Fortunei, P.Giabrata, P.Taiwaniania,P.Tomentosa, and Kiri. Paulownia has been grown in China for at least 3,000 years, in the USA since1700, and in Japan - since 1970, when this tree was made the subject of billions of dollars worth ofexport deals. In 1972, some laboratory studies were began on this plant and on improvement of itsqualities. The best qualities of each Paulownia species have been selected genetically, and in 2007one plant was achieved, which was ideal for growing and production of wood material over shortperiods of time. The R&D activities carried out since 2012 lead to the improvement of the structureof the timber. Our two clones have been registered with the Community Plant Variety Office(CPVO) and are 893 tree 6-7 years - 895 biomass - 1113 Paulemia 3-4 years

clone laboratory in vitro preparation

1. TYPE OF SOILSuitable types:

- Deeply-drained soils, a min. of 2m of soil before a rocky beach or underground water-carryinghorizon.

- Soil mixed with small-sized stones.

- Soil mixed with sand, soil mixed with not more than 20% of clay. 20 to 30% tillage.- The ideal pH is between 5.5 and 8.

Unsuitable types:- Soils containing rows of rocks or an underground water-carrying horizon.

- Soil mixed with not more than 20% of clay.- Undrained sites and still water.

- Sites bordering brackish water basins.

- Salty sites.- Sloped sites, inaccessible for mechanical tools.- Sites inaccessible for cutting and transport.

2. PREPARATION OF THE SITE

The site must be ploughed at 70/90cm with a share or ripper if it has not been used for a while. 40-50cm of ploughing if the soil is soft and has recently been tilled. If the site is exhausted (poor soil), itneeds to be fertilized, preferably with organic products or suitable mixed compost. On the surface,the soil must be soft and prepared with a harrow/milling.

ploughing milling

3. PLANTING

The planting can be done throughout the year in moderate climates where the cold weather is fromJanuary to February. For other regions, the planting needs to be done between March-April andSeptember/October. When planting before/after autumn when temperatures fall down to 0°C, youneed to make sure that the root system and the stem are deeper in the soil, almost below theleaves, to protect the tree from the cold which can be deadly during the first 60 days when the plantadapts its roots to the soil.

The planting density is 600 plants for the production of timber. From 1,200 to 3,300 plants perhectare only for biomass production. In the first case we will have 1/6 planted of a 4x4m.

WARNING. The plants that will be planted should be 20 weeks old, and they are delivered in plasticpots, 10x10, with developed root systems and stems. It is very important to plant carefully in ordernot to damage the root system. Proper planting will prevent death-at-planting. When you are takingthe plant out you must sink the pot in water to release the air, then turn the plant upside down, holdthe stem with one hand and pull it out of the pot. Make sure you do not press the pot from the sides,as it can damage the roots. Then prepare a hole in the ground, 20x20x20cm, place the plant in it,

and cover it with soft soil 2-3cm above the end of the root system. You should apply a little pressureon the soil without damaging the root system. Finally, give the plant approximately 2L of water.

Plants are delivered well into their developing stage and only a maximum of 1% should die. Whenthere is death-from-defect, you can see the stem remaining near the roots after planting. Upondeath-from-mistaken-planting or growing, the stem of the tree is easily removed from the root.In most cases, proper planting will minimize death to zero. Incorrect planting could lead to sloweradaptation to the soil or death. This slow development is characterized with lack of 5/6cm growth perday. Let us demonstrate planting to you with the help of our local distributor. Death-from-defectusually occurs within 30 days. In such cases, the plant will be replaced by the factory free-of-charge.Otherwise, dead plants, not due to defects, shall not be replaced unless the farmer pays for them.

4. SPECIFICATIONS OF THE PLANT

The selected Paulownia clone is a complete hybrid. It adapts well to climate with temperature rangesfrom -27°С to 48°С, but not without external help. It is resistant to diseases and needs pesticidesonly in extremely serious cases. It integrates well with other trees. It is non-invasive and takes inintercropping with grains, bean plants, grass etc. It has a compact root system with a smallumbrella-shaped root coming out from the base of the trunk. The thick main root can reach 10 to12m. The plant itself can reach up to 25m, and sometimes, under favourable conditions, even more,if it is not cut every 3 years.

One of the main features of this plant is that it does not exhaust the soil. On the contrary,the winter foliage enriches the earth with many nutrients. In addition, Paulownia is grown following aspecific schedule of fertilization. At the end of its cultivation, it leaves the soil richer than at thebeginning.

5. CULTIVATION

а) The plant needs 50 days for its root system to adapt to the soil. During this period it only needswatering 3 times a week, 2-3 hours per day, using a drip irrigation system, 2L/h, to keep the soilmoist at about 40 cm of depth, unless there are other specific climate conditions or certain types ofsoil. ATTENTION: The plant dies if the root system is suffocated by extreme watering. The plantrequires 1,000-1,500 cubic metres of water per hectare in the summertime, or throughout the year,depending on the climate conditions of the area. The water supply has been calculated for regions

with average rainfalls of 400-500mm per year and it varies for free-drained soils. Drip irrigation isvital, especially for the first year. The soil around the base of the tree needs to be weeded.

b) Pruning is done during the first winter after planting. Example: Spring plants are pruned inFebruary/March of the following year when they are still in dormancy. Autumn plants are pruned inFebruary/March the following year to stimulate their secondary growth. This pattern needs to befollowed and the plant should never be pruned when it is growing. The part that is left in the groundafter pruning needs to be protected with resin to avoid splitting and other damage caused byexternal factors. Plants are pruned regardless of the diameter of their trunks.

Pruning and recovery

c) After winter pruning, new suckers will appear from the trunk in the ground when the temperatureof the atmosphere reaches 12°/14°С. When the suckers get into a vegetation stage and reach 50cm,they need to be cut gradually and only one should be left at a place facing the wind, in a dominatingposition over the trunk. This sucker will undergo quick development, see the table below. All thenewly appeared suckers need to be removed to guarantee branches coming out 5-6m above theground. In this way you will achieve an ideally straight 0.9 conical trunk without knots or defects.

6.FERTILIZATION

Fertilizers are substances that, when added to the soil, make it more suitable for new cultures andincrease its fertility. They can be organic or inorganic, depending on their prevailing chemicalelement: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Calcium.

Our team which took part in R&D activity, manufactured a special fertilizer for a timberclone: "M&M BIO". This product works as a stabilizer for the bacterial flora of the soil and plants,and, in addition, it contains all the elements needed for fast and proper development of the clone. Itis also used for rinsing the root system before planting, when it is taken out of the pot.

NitrogenNitrogen is an element which is quantitatively most important for plants; it affects their overalldevelopment, it gives the leaves their rich green colour, prepares the blossoming and strengthens theplant. Fast-acting sodium nitrate is the nitrogen fertilizer that gives results seven days afterapplication. Calcium nitrate contains calcium which neutralises the acidic soils. Ammonium sulphateis slower acting than sodium nitrate but it catalyses decomposition of organic substances that createthe hummus. Urea is a synthetic fertilizer introduced recently in agriculture. It contains 46% nitrogenand is one of the most active fertilizers. It is diluted in the ratio 1:1,000 with water. It needs to bemixed with sand if it is applied as powder, in order to provide a more equal distribution and lowerconcentration.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is an element that helps the plant through the blossoming period and the maturation of the timber. The most important phosphate fertilizers are the mineral superphospates and bonemeal, which are very suitable for limestone soils.Before cutting the mature trees (8/10 months beforehand), the intake of phosphorus should be increased to prepare the timber.

PotassiumPotassium, among all its other properties, has the ability to strenghten colours; among the potassium fertilizers we need to mention potassium sulphate and potassium nitrate, which also contains nitrogen.

Complex fertilizersThe different elements like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, together with other nutrients thatare contained in smaller amounts in complex fertilizers, are easily absorbed and are perfectlybalanced for the ideal proportions for the well-being of the plant. There are a number of benefits incomplex fertilizers: Lighter to transport and store (smaller sizes), easier application on the groundthat saves time, better intake by the plant due to the fact that they are granulated and each granuleis a vital unit containing all the basic nutrients.

Organic fertlizersManure is ideal for the preparation of the soil before planting, as it is rich in fertilizers (20-30 tonsper hectare during in winter), it airs the soils, and it raises the temperature of the soil due to itsfermentation processes. Other organic fertilizers are dried blood from slaughterhouses, well-processed bonemeal, seaweed, timber dust etc.

Quantities

M&M BIO: 500ml, diluted in 100L of water for the root system - planting (1 hectare). For fertilizing: 2L are diluted in 600L of water (10L per plant), once every 20 days.

During the first year 0250 UF nitrogen per plant can be provided or 3-component fertilizers. Fromthe second year the dosage can be doubled (depending on the type of soil).

Complex fertilizers (per hectare): 1 year 2.50 quintals;

2 years 3 quintals;

3-10 years 4 quintals;

Organic fertilizers (per hectare): 1 year 3 tonnes;2 years 4 tonnes;

3-10 years 5 tonnes;

ATTENTION The above data is generalized.

7. RATE OF GROWTH

Between planting and pruning, the plant might reach a minimum height of 4m and a diameter of aminimum 8cm if the operations are successful.

After pruning:Year 1 4 - 5m Diam. 8-10cmYear 2 10 - 12m Diam. 16-20cm

0.33 cubic metres 3/4 per year 15 - 18m Diam. 24-30cm0.50 cubic metres 6/7 per year* 18 - 20m* Diam. 35-40cm*1.00 cubic metre 9/10 per year* 20 - 22m* Diam. 45-60cm*

* The sizes given are achieved if there is no pruning done over the past three yearsATTENTION - the quantities are defined on the basis of the average minimum for the different cultivation areas in Europe.

Cubic metres are related to the usage of the first 6m trunk. 40% of the entire tree 60% biomass

5 months after planting, 10 months after pruning

8. PROPERTY

The plant turns into a tree after pruning and its timber matures on the fourth year if therequirements are followed. It is used for various purposes, for building, in construction, for profiles,sills, blinds, doors, windows, shadowy alcoves, finishing jobs, facings, soundproofing, laminates,furniture and decorative items, garden furniture, musical instruments, shipping elements and manymore.

Some smaller parts of the top of the trunk (wastes) are now broadly used for the production ofboxes and packaging, due to their light weight, elegant look and clean colour. The timber is used forthe interior of airplanes, yachts and other. The plant wastes (part of the trunk and dry branches) areused as biomass for feeding power stations because of its high calorific value. At the secondpruning, when the root system is better developed, the tree will be a bit bigger (24-30cm). After theinitial processing, the timber is white, clear, without veins, knots or defects; highly resistant to fire;insect-, parasite-repelling, stable to mould and aggressive factors, with good elasticity and thicklayers; highly resistant to punctures. In the furniture industry it is known as 'TIMBER ALUMINIUM',WEEL FORESTRY WORLDWILDE – CARBON EMISSION recognised this tree to be the best carbondioxide absorbent worldwide and the best oxygen renderer to the environment. Today, Paulownia isused for city landscaping and, thanks to its large soft leaves, it is used as a dust and noise barrier.Paulownia, with its quickly-developing main root system, is widely used in land falling regions. Theleaves, high in nutrients, can be used as food in animal breeding. Paulownia blossoms wildly, withpink-and-purple, bell-shaped flowers with a strong scent. In beekeeping, a hectare for cultivating(600 plants) can produce 700-1,000kg of delicious honey.

Our timber clone has a continuous development, thanks to the specialized laboratoryscientific research.

aromatic blossoms 700/1,000kg of honey per hectare

9. TECHNICAL DATA AND SPECIFICATIONS

Density - green timber 800kg/m3- dry timber 350kg/m3

Colour: yellow-whiteHardness: 1.4 KN

Flexibility: 6.3 GPaTensile strength: 42 MPaCompressive strength: 20 MPa

Puncture resistance: highmoisture (% moist base) 29.9Natural drying: 40 days.Immediate analysis (% on the dry substance)

- powder (550°C) 1.1- volatility 81.7- stable coal 17.2

Element analysis (% on the dry substance)

- coal 49.5- hydrogen 6.4- nitrogen 0.24

- powder 0.2Calorific value

- lower (moisture = 0.0% b.h.) 4430 Kcal/k - lower (moisture = 29.9% b.h.) 2940 Kcal/kg

3-year old plants NEWS

The timber of the trunk is widely used in many industrial sectors for the production of timber (40% of the plant) due to its properties and quick maturation.

First cutting 30cm processed flatboards of white timber with no defects

The rest (60% of the plant), due to its oxidizing properties, is used as biomass and for the production of high-quality pellets, registered and certified in Europe on the 20 January 2011.

Description:Compressed pellets with long bases of the wooden material, no need for glue or aggregates.

The EU and some countries in particular have developed standards that guarantee the quality of the fuel - 4 EU certificates.

Dimensions. Diam. 4/5 mm, L <= 12 mm density (loose material): 600kg/m3 Water contents: <= 10%

Powder: <= 0.08%Calorific value 16.9 MJ/kg

The EU and world market for pellets is highly dynamic and constantly developing. It currentlyexceeds 30 million tonnes annually, which is the equivalent to the energy potential of 144 TWh andthe investment in new capacities have tripled for the period from 2010 to 2011. BioenergyInternational have supplied over 700 factories with substantial amounts throughout the world. Lastyear, in Spain, several factories of different sizes were built, whilst the number of small-scaleproducers is unknown.

Market: timber production; excellent source for biomass and pellet production.

2kg pellets = 1L diesel

The best pellets nowadays, thanks to their high calorific value, high thermal resistance, overall cleanliness andvery low content of dust and wastes.