The Northern Catalpa

My favorite flowering tree is the northern catalpa (catalpa speciosa), or cigar tree. It is the tree in our yard I use to gauge when summer has finally come. Being a very late to late tree, when I see the leaf buds form I know our threat of snow for the year is gone (for the most part).



A few weeks after the tree has flushed with leaves, it produces long, pendulous white flowers that hang in bunches and perfume the air with an amazing scent. The trumpet shaped flowers have yellow stripes in the throat, set off with purple spots, and the scent will fragrance the living room, although the tree is almost 100 feet from the house.

After the flowers have faded, the tree becomes an enchanted area for the kids to play. The large leaves create a deep, dark shade, cooling even the hottest of summer days to a comfortable temperature. The size and shape of the leaves spark the imagination of all the kids in the neighborhood; they are used as elephant ears for the heard of African elephants living on the savannah and as fabric to make everything from doll dresses to shields and armor, able to protect against the most fierce dragon around. As the summer winds down, long green seed pods are formed that can be just and entertaining as the leaves.

Although the catalpa prefers moist soil with a high pH and full sun it can be grown almost anywhere in North America. It would be a welcome addition to any yard.


Return to Flower Garden Lover Home Page from Northern Catalpa