Catalpa

Catalpa, from the family of Bignoniaceae, is a very beautiful ornamental tree, appreciated for its spectacular summer flowering, its large deciduous leaves that provide dense and beneficial shade in summer, as well as its long pod-shaped fruits. Among these trees native to North America and East Asia, the most well-known and planted in our gardens is the Catalpa bignonioides. However, there are also very beautiful and hardy species, such as the Catalpa x erubescens Purpurea, with purple foliage in spring that lightens throughout the season, or the Catalpa bignonioides Aurea, whose young foliage is lemon-yellow. Despite its almost exotic appearance, the Catalpa is a hardy and deciduous tree, with very fast growth, suitable for all moist and well-drained soils and under most climates. Splendid in summer, it produces large clusters of campanulate flowers, most often white speckled with purple and yellow, or even pink in the Catalpa bungei, which will be replaced by clusters of fruit in the form of long pods. With the exception of a few dwarf varieties such as Catalpa Bignonioides 'Nana', these imposing trees require space and are best suited for large gardens.