| Ever since West first made
contact with the East, its culture has enriched our lives. From the beauty of exotic silks
and ceramics, to the delicacy of oriental cuisine, the essence of China has enhanced our
time. But we’ve had to wait for the modern science of tissue culture before we could
experience one of the East's greatest treasures in our own garden. A Bejeweled Tree
The 20th century wonder is the Powton� Sapphire Dragon. An exotic
decorative shade tree which in spring is bejeweled with dazzling spikes of sapphire hued
flowers. What makes this jewel from the timeless East such a gem for the hurried West is
that it takes no time at all to grow.
Quickly Luxuriant
In its first year a Powton� Sapphire Dragon seedling can exceed three
metres. In its second year, five metres with the appearance of its first bloom. In its
third year it becomes a substantial shade tree with a final height of eight metres. A
three year old Powton� Sapphire Dragon can have up to 30 racemes each one of them a metre
long and half a metre wide, bearing 300 frilly orchid-like flowers that will perfume a
garden with its delicate fragrance. There's more the Powton� is deciduous. This means
that it drops its leaves during the winter allowing sunlight into your garden when it
needs it the most. The Powton� Sapphire Dragon refoliates in the warmer months with
enormous lush and exotic leaves that create luxuriant cool summer shade, but that’s
just part of the story.
The Tradition
The Powton� Sapphire Dragon is a specially bred and select form of
Paulownia kawakami (Paulownia) a native of China. For centuries the
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have grown them for more than
just decoration. Their highly prized timber has long been used to make fineries from hand
made furniture to clogs and even musical instruments. In addition to their earthly
qualities these trees have engaged the minds of men who think on a higher plane. In 1000AD
a Buddhist scholar from central China, Chen Chu, pondered on the dwindling supply of
precious timber. After careful study he devised a way farmers could cultivate the Powton�
as a fast growing productive timber tree. The
Quest for the Powton� Sapphire Dragon
Nearly 1000 years later and thousands of kilometres away Australian
nurseryman Chris Lucas combined the wisdom of Chen Chu with modern tissue culture
technology. The result a range of fast growing Powtons� that can provide an alternative
timber source to our Earth’s rapidly dwindling rainforests. At the same time the tree
can be used to rehabilitate degraded farmland and be harvested in 7-14 years. This
marriage of ancient knowledge and modern science is helping to solve some of the pressing
environmental problems. Powtons� are being grown and propagated at Chris & Marie's
Plant Farms for farm projects and garden enthusiasts across Australia. But the story
doesn’t end there.
Ancient Charm
As befits such a botanical bijou, the Powton�
Sapphire Dragon has a charming heritage. The Powton� like the dragon has enjoyed an
important place in Chinese mythology as a symbol of prosperity and wisdom for thousands of
years. Thus the Powton� Sapphire Dragon promises magical things for gardens and
gardeners.
Planting Instructions
Put in ground and stand back three paces.
Buying you Jewels
The Powton� Sapphire Dragon is available
from
www.hellohello.com.au
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