WESTERN CATALPA

NORTHERN CATALPA

Catalpa speciosa

Bignonia [Bignoniaceae]

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

To 20m tall. Less vulnerable to frost damage than the similar-looking and related Indian Bean Tree.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Flowers in spikes, at first glance similar to those of Horse-Chestnut, but the leaves are totally different.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

A closer look and the individual flowers still have a resemblance to those of Horse-Chestnut.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Flowers not did-similar to those of Foxglove Tree, but are white overall rather than lilac.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Flowers so convolute on the periphery that it is not easy to discern how many petals it has but three petals are generally accepted. They are not dissimilar to those of the Foxglove Tree.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Throat has deep purple to indigo coloured streaks radiating outwards. A a cream-coloured bifid stigma in the upper part, and several yellow to egg-yolk markings on the lower parts.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Egg-yolk coloured splotches on lower part of throat.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Leaves larger than an outstretched large hand, with a single point at the end [The hybrid between Indian Bean Tree and Yellow Catalpa called the Hybrid Bean Tree (Catalpa × erubescens) has three points]. Leaves not un-like those of the Foxglove Tree.

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

Un-like the very similar Indian Bean Tree, the leaves are cardioid shaped without shallow lobes at the broad end. They also have a longer point at the narrow end and are also longer overall as well as darker and scentless than those of Indian Bean Tree (whose leaves smell foul on crushing).

3rd Aug 2011, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester.

Photo: © RWD

The bark is supposed to be grey for Western Catalpa, but orange to pink-brownish for Indian Bean Tree, but the leaves say differently and moreover do not smell of anything.

Easily mistaken for : Horse-Chestnut, but this tree has leaves that are large but heart-shaped rather than palmate. It has flowers in upright candles very similar to those of Horse-Chestnut.

Easily mis-identified as : Indian Bean Tree but that has leaves that, when crushed, smell foul whereas those of Western Catalpa have no smell. Other differentiating features are listed in the photo captions.

ANY TEXT GOES HERE

Catalpa
(Indian Bean Trees)