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Northern Catalpa

Catalpa speciosa


Hardiness Zones: 4 - 8   View Map
  • Produces clusters of large, trumpet-shaped white flowers in May and June that are showy and somewhat fragrant
  • Can be expected to begin flowering about 7 years after planting
  • Features distinctively large leaves that are up to 12" in length and 4–8" wide, with a somewhat heart or spear shape
  • Yields bean-like seed pods that are 8–20" long and ¼–½" wide, starting out green and turning brownish as they ripen; they are filled with numerous, 1" long seeds that are fringed at the ends
  • Can develop a unique twist in branches and the trunk
  • Grows in an oval shape
  • Requires cleanup after the flower petals, leaves and seed pods drop
  • Should not be planted where fruit and flowers can drop on sidewalks, as they are slippery right after they fall

Tree Details

Shape

Oval

Growth Speed

Medium to Fast

Scientific Name

Catalpa speciosa

Mature Height

40' - 60'

Mature Spread

20' - 40'

Shipping Height

2' - 3'

Highlights

This is a tree that demands your attention. White, showy flowers. Giant heart-shaped leaves. Dangling bean-like seed pods. Twisting trunk and branches. How could you not stop to take it in? And with all of these unique features, the northern catalpa is popular with kids as well.

While not ideal for every location, this unique and hardy tree is a fast grower that finds a home in parks and yards throughout the country.

Sun Preference

Full Sun, Partial Sun/Shade

Soil Preference

Acidic, Alkaline, Clay, Drought, Loamy, Moist, Rich, Sandy, Silty Loam, Well Drained, Wet

Wildlife Value

The flowers of the catalpa are visited by hummingbirds. It is the sole host of the catalpa sphinx moth. And it provides nutrition for bees in early summer.

History/Lore

The catalpa tree is found in forests from southern Illinois and Indiana to western Tennessee and Arkansas. First cultivated in 1754, the wood was used for fence posts and railroad ties because of its resistance to rot and the tree’s fast growth rate. Common names for this tree are many and colorful—including cigar tree, Indian bean tree, catawba, caterpillar tree, hardy catalpa and western catalpa.

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