Catalpa speciosa is a large tree with winter persistent, elongated, thin pods, white inflorescences in mid-June, large, ovate medium green leaves and bold character.
Alternate common name: Western Catalpa
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F E A T U R E S |
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Form
-large, deciduous, flowering tree
-to 60' tall x 40' wide
-upright oval to irregular shape
-growth rate rapid at first (>18" per year) but slows down with age
-considered short-lived in its native habitat (50 years) |
Foliage
-opposite to whorled,simple leaves
-very large (10" long x 6" wide, including the long petiole)
-light to medium green
-very pubescent beneath
-autumn color yellowish green to yellow-brown; poor |
Flowers
-6" erect inflorescences (panicles) of several flowers in early- to mid-June
-white with a purple flare
-2" flowers are bell-shaped and attractive from a long distance
-flowering for about 1 week, then covering the ground with white petals |
Fruit
-1.5' long thin pods, slightly curving but generally straight
-persisting throughout the winter and into spring, finally splitting along their axis into 2 halves and abscising
-seeds fringed and dispersed by wind |
Twig
-stout, with prominent lenticels and rounded leaf scars (scars have depressed centers)
-yellowish-brown to tan
-false terminal |
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Trunk
-brown to gray, usually with deep furrows and tall ridges; sometimes scaly |
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C U L T
U R E
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Culture
-full sun to partial shade
-very tolerant of soil type, but prefers deep, moist, fertile soil
-withstands wet or dry and alkaline conditions and extremely hot, dry environments (urban tolerant)
-rare availability; B&B form |
Hardiness
-zones 4 to 8
Origin
-native to the Ohio Valley and mid-south of the U.S. (Illinois and Indiana to Western Tennessee and Northern Arkansas)
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U S A G E |
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Assets
-coarse-textured large tree
-flowers prominently in mid-June; very noticeable display
-furrowed bark
-high urban tolerance
tolerates poor sites
Liabilities
-fruit pod litter in winter and spring
-small branches prone to storm damage (enhancing the bold character) |
Function
-large shade tree
-flowering tree in early to mid-June
Texture
-bold in foliage and when bare |
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S E L
E C T I 0 N S |
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Varieties
and Cultivars
- Search
OSU PlantFacts for additional plants in this species
Alternates
-trees that flower in late spring or early summer (Koelreuteria paniculata, Styphnolobium japonicum); large shade trees (Celtis occidentalis); year-round bold texture (Aesculus glabra, Aesculus flava, Gymnocladus dioica) |