strange giant plant

[modeller]

I have a self planted plant that I thought was a sunflower, unfortunately it has turned out to be blind so I don't have a flower to identify it. It is 7ft (2m) tall with hugh leaves over a foot wide and long. The leaves are heart shaped ,hexagonal , with 6 serrated almost straight sides.The stem is one inch thick , green and smooth. It is mainly one stem but there are 2/3 small branches. I've looked at dozens of giant sun flowers, which is the nearest in general shape and size on the web but their leaves are curved. I've also looked at pictures of all types of leaves but nowhere have I found one the same. Any ideas please ?

[horseshoes]

Is it a hollyhock perhaps.

[willow66]

Without a picture it is hard to identify. What i can do is give you a list of large leaved plants that it possibly could be. With these names take a look in your books or type them into Google for a picture.
Large leaved plants:
Paulownia tomentosa
Catalpa bignonioides
Abutilon

[modeller]

Thanks for the suggestions but none of them helped. I've waded through hundreds of pictures but apart from finding the term PENTAGONAL SHAPE to describe the leaves I'm no further forward.

[modeller]

I have now put two pictures on the tinypic web site.

Here is the url which I hope will work. http://tinypic.com/3ia2dh6s
I will appreciative your comments.

[tamborine]

it looks a bit like a cucumber vine....is it a climber?

There is a variety that asians grow with 2' long white veg - dont know what it's called?

[A.Guest]

It looks like willow66 recognised your plant as Paulownia tomentosa

Look here

http://www.architecturalplants.com/plant.html?code=PTCS

[tamborine]

as A.guest - it has a gorgeous flower; wish I had that ;)

http://www.architecturalplants.com/iplant.html?code=ptcs;name=Paulownia%2Btomentosa-2.jpg;form=l

[modeller]

Thanks for all your answers. As I said it hasn't bloomed so I haven't had that pleasure . I must investigate it further to see if it can be transplanted , should it be cut back each spring ( as suggested by the archetitectural plants web site ) or can it be left to become a proper tree.

[modeller]

I've now looked at various pictures of the Paulownie tomentosa and I'm pretty sure you are correct in your identification . The only slight reservation I have is that my plant's leaves appear deeper serrated. I see also that the reason mine is blind is because the flowers only grow on mature wood. Which means that as it can grow to 25m it will have to be transplanted and carefully pruned/pollarded each year. All in all an interesting self seeded plant. I wonder where the seed came from as it seems to be rather rare.