Catalpa bignonioides Walter

Spice Detail fruit Flower In the field

Family: BIGNONIACEAE

Genus: Catalpa

Catalan common name: Catalpa.

Spanish common name: Catalpa.

General distribution (Phytogeography): North American

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Macrophanerophyte.

Habitats: Garden plants. Gardens, streets.

Description: A deciduous tree of up to 15 m in height; it has very large, opposite leaves up to 20cm long, they are verticilate with large petioles, have an oval or heartshaped leaf and an entire margin. The flowers bloom in large, terminal panicles; the calyx is deeply bilabiate and the flowers are white with small, purple or yellow marks. The fruit is a very long (approx. 20-28cm), narrow (approx. 1cm), pendulous capsule which lasts a long time on the tree, and which, in winter, opens by 2 valves and begins dropping its seeds.

Observations: It is widely used in gardening.