Catalpa speciosa - Northern Catalpa or Cigar Tree (Bignoniaceae) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catalpa speciosa is a large tree with winter -persisting throughout the winter and into spring, persistent, elongated, thin pods, white inflorescences finally splitting along their axis into two halves and in mid-June, large, ovate medium green leaves and abscising bold character. -seeds fringed and dispersed by wind Twigs FEATURES -stout, with prominent lenticels and rounded leaf Form scars (scars have depressed centers) -large deciduous, flowering -yellowish-brown to tan tree -false terminal -to 60' tall x 40' wide Trunk -upright oval to irregular brown to gray, usually with deep furrows and tall shape ridges; sometimes scaly -growth rate rapid at first (>18" per year) but slows USAGE down with age Function -considered short-lived in -large shade tree its native habitat (50 years) -flowering tree in early to mid-June Culture Texture -full sun to partial shade -bold in foliage and when bare -very tolerant of soil type, Assets but prefers deep, moist, -coarse-textured large tree fertile soil -flowers prominently in mid-June; very noticeable -withstands wet or dry and display alkaline conditions and -furrowed bark extremely hot, dry -high urban tolerance environments (urban tolerant) -tolerates poor sites -rare availability; B&B form Liabilities Foliage -fruit pod litter in winter and spring -opposite to whorled, simple leaves -small branches prone to storm damage (enhancing -very large (10" long x 6" wide, including the long the bold character) petiole) Habitat -light to -Zones 4 to 8 medium -Native to the Ohio Valley and mid-south of the U.S. green (Illinois and Indiana to Western Tennessee and -very Northern Arkansas) pubescent beneath SELECTIONS -autumn Alternates color -trees that flower in late spring or early summer yellowish (Koelreuteria paniculata, Styphnolobium japonicum); green to large shade trees (Celtis occidentalis); trees with yellow- year-round bold texture (Aesculus glabra, Aesculus brown; flava, Gynmocladus dioicus) poor Cultivars – Variants – Related species -the species form is the only one in the trade -Catalpa bignonioides - Southern Catalpa - the southern version, being about half as tall as C. speciosa; zones 5 to 9 -Catalpa bungei - Umbrella Tree -an unusual, small growing tree of Japanese origin with a tight, rounded Flowers head of attractive foliage. Typically 12-14' x 10-12', -6" erect inflorescences (panicles) of several flowers with a rounded shape. Trees are grafted on 5' in early- to mid-June standards. Flowers are white accented with purple -white with a purple flare sports, blooming in clusters in July. A charming - 2" flowers are bell-shaped and attractive from a small tree to accent the landscape, frame an long distance entranceway, or be displayed as a landscape -flowering for about 1 week, then covering the specimen (from Lake Co. Nursery catalog) ground with white petals Fruits -1.5' long thin pods, slightly curving but generally straight.