My MIL received this plant as a comp from burgess for being out of stock on the item she wanted. She has no idea what it is. She's had it a few years now and every winter it seems to die completely and new stalks sprout each year right around the old ones. As you can see its already about 25' tall w/ huge leaves. The closest picture I've seen to anything like it are a couple Princess Or Empress trees. But this particular one has never flowered and doesn't produce any seeds or anything other than the leaves.

to NGA

You don't say where this tree is located but it looks like Paulownia tomentosa, Empress Tree. They bloom on old wood so...

If your friend is pruning in the fall, she may be pruning her potential blooms away OR

If it gets too cold in your area, the blooms may be freezing off in the winter.

wow that is huge! The store just said.. "Sorry we're out of Hydrangeas but hey, have this." ?? lol! OMG that is awesome!

Pretty much robynanne. She likes it & it's pretty cool. My son actually brought one of the ginormous leaves into school for show & tell one time.

That was my thought too Daisyl we're mid state in NH pretty cold winters. The only other thing I questioned was the trunk system is multiple stalks each photo i've seen of the Empress tree is just one trunk like a normal tree, but again I just figure its the harsh winters messing with it. She'll be happy either way to have an answer, she's just been calling it her beanstalk, we've been waiting to meet the giant at the top.

Hi & welcome! IDK what your MIL ordered, but receiving that instead is more of an insult than a gift. Your pics are great though!

I've seen one growing in Ottawa, Ontario. It also forms a multi-stemmed plant with huge leaves and I don't think it flowers. It's an impressive foliage plant here in the north.

I hope she didn't plant it where she was planning to put the little Hydrangea, or whatever.