Common name: Western catalpa
Family name: Bignoniaceae

  • large heart shaped leaves that are papery in texture
  • also produces bean like pods (called follicles) that hang from branches and when they open they spread little seeds
  • vertically grained bark
  • leaves in whirls of threes or oppositely arranged
  • two leaves of similar size and one which is even smaller
  • raised round leaf scar
  • late to leaf and early to drop it’s leaves
  • most of the branches are big and hefty and doesn’t have delicate appearance in winter
  • skunky smell
  • typically very tall standard
  • grow about 1 metre a year given summer moisture
  • native to deep alluvial soils but incredibly adaptable
  • on rapidly growing stem, leaves can grow up to 50-60 cm
  • flowers: large pyramidal inflorescences
  • flowers in late summer, July through August, and are white in colour
  • deciduous tree
  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8

TIP: big floppy elephant-ear-type leaves

 

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