My across-the-driveway neighbor had two or three big Paulownia trees (aka Princess Tree or Empress Tree) taken out by their roots.
Paulownia are an extremely fast-growing tree with seeds that disperse readily. Native to China and Korea, it is considered invasive in the US. A hardy tree that does well in poor soil and full sun, it produces massive leaves if pollarded. Paulownia wood is strong, soft and light-weight, resistant to decay, rot and insects, and is easy to work.
Wikipedia offers this fascinating bit:
“The soft, lightweight seeds were commonly used as a packing material by Chinese porcelain exporters in the 19th century, before the development of polystyrene packaging. Packing cases would often leak or burst open in transit and scatter the seeds along rail tracks. The magnitude of the numbers of seeds used for packaging, together with seeds deliberately planted for ornament, has allowed the species to be viewed as an invasive species in areas where the climate is suitable for its growth, notably Japan and the eastern United States.”
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