Northern Catalpa





Species
Catalpa speciosa
Family
Bignoniaceae
Campus Location
Just west of the main entry gate to the Governor’s Mansion
Native Range
Midwestern U.S.
Description
- Deciduous, growing 40-60 feet tall and 20-40 feet wide.
- Its fruit/seed pods resemble long, slender cigars. The large, heart-shaped leaves emerge late in spring and give the tree a course texture. Trumpet-shaped flowers, white with yellow stripes, emerge in early June nourishing hummingbirds and bees.
- Susceptible to catalpa horn worm infestation.
- Landscape uses include specimen, shade tree, parks and large open spaces.
History and significance:
Not usually seen in South Puget Sound, this tree grows along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.