Catalpa bignonioides

• BOTANICAL NAME: Catalpa bignonioides
• PRONUNCIATION: ca-TAL-pa big-non-YOID-dees
• COMMON NAME: Southern Catalpa
• FAMILY: Bignoniaceae
• NATIVITY: Matures in the mid-south region, along flood plains and low woods.
• GROWTH HABIT: 30 to 40' (60') Broadly rounded crown
• HARDINESS: Zone 5 - 9.
• OPTIMUM GROWING CONDITIONS:  Flood plains, low woods, thrives in wet-dry soil and part sun.
• SUCCESSIONAL STATUS:  Successional
• FACULTATIVE STATUS:  Upland
• LANDSCAPE USE: Limited landscape value due to coarseness
• FOLIAGE: - leaf arrangement, leaf scar Whorled or opposite,
• simple leaves, purple-tinged when emerging.  Poor yellow in fall.
• BUDS: Lateral-hemispherical, with brown scales, loosely overlapping
• BARK: Grayish, thick, scaly bark.
• FLOWER: - flower Flowers are white with purple stripes down the lobe.
• FRUIT: 8-20” long capsules, fringed at the end, persisting into late fall and winter.  
• PESTS: Leaf spots, powdery mildew, mealybug