Family: Bignoniaceae

This Tree in Colorado: A fairly large tree native to most of the central U.S. Catalpa has an upright, coarse and distinct form. It's asymmetrical, irregular appearance gives it a lot of character and can be planted as a feature tree. The large, white, showy flowers provide the landscape with splash of interest during late May and June. It is  a tree that should be considered more in the landscape but realize it has seed pods that can be messy. Stems are brittle allowing breakage during early or late snow storms.  


Growth Rate:  Medium to fast once established. Terminal shoot can be 3' per year.

Best Advice:  Plant them as accent trees in yards and parks. In areas with wide parkways, they can be planted as street trees. Prune for strong branches since the wood is brittle. Branches can not support a lot of snow.

Hardiness:  Zone 4 to 8.  Adapts well to a variety of climates and soils. 

Leaves:  Large, simple; Opposite or whorled; Margins are entire;  heart shaped; 8" to 12" long; 5" to 8" wide; long petioles

Bark: Brown; ridged and furrowed on older trees.

Buds: Terminal absent; lateral buds small, hemispherical. Located above a large oval leaf, bundle scar.

Insects and Disease:  Little to none. Mildew and leaf spots may occur. 

Information sources: 

Dirr, Michael Dr., "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants," 1990
Kuhns, Michael Dr., "A Guide to the Trees of Utah and the Intermountain West," 1998