Catalpa Tree

The Catalpa tree is known by many names, including Catawba, Indian bear or the Cigar tree. It’s a deciduous tree that is able to tolerate most environmental temperatures, including the hot summers where the conditions are hot and dry, or in other words unforgiving. A typical Catalpa tree would grow to an average of 15 meters in height and about 8 meters in diameter. They are showy trees when it comes to the flowering season and their leaves which are a blend of yellow and white have a characteristic aesthetic appeal that makes the tree a favorite with most eco-lovers. Owing somewhat to their large sized leaves, which take a heart shape, they provide a lot of herbage which provides adequate cover against wind and rain. It’s this sheltering characteristic in precision that makes the tree a choice for many birds as they choose to build their nests on it.

There are two types or subspecies of the Catalpa. There is the C. bignonioides and the C. speciosa, or simply the southern and the northern Catalpas respectively. There is a lot of relation between these two, with the only apparent observable differences being the size of leaves produced by each and the bean pods. Northern Catalpas have lobed leaves as well. As for the flowers, for both of these varieties, they are sweet scented. That means that for the first few weeks of summer, bees, hummingbirds flock these trees and make a haven. But later on in the season, nearing fall, the flowers are shed leaving a white carpet like view under the trees. The bean pods which contain the seeds are dispersed by wind, something aided by the wing attachments. They hardly grow into Catalpa trees because they are constantly fed on by birds and other critters. But the possibility of having a whole yard of Catalpas is very much a possibility.
If you want to grow a Catalpa, the best place to start off is at the seedling stage since Catalpa seeds are a little hard to cultivate. If you have a well prepared nursery bed, furnished with the right conditions, you can go ahead and try. When fully grown, the Catalpas add an aesthetic appeal to the landscape, though you have to be prepared to clean out the flowers and pods that always fall to the ground, not far from the tree. For usability, the Catalpa tree is a good provider of shading. Its wood is not too strong so it has limited use.