Images of the Catawba (Catalpa bignonioides)

Catawba

Catalpa bignonioides

Native to the southeastern United States, this tree has heart-shaped leaves that secrete nectar through glands near the primary veins. The hard brittle wood of this species does not easily rot and is used to make railroad ties and fence posts. It is also called Sourthern Catalpa, Cigartree and Indian Bean Tree.

Habitat:Grows in a wide variety of habitats.

Growth Habit:Deciduous tree, growing to 21 m, may have crooked trunk and irregular crown.

Bloom Time:Late spring to early summer.

Longevity:Long-lived.

Presence in US:AL AR AZ CA CT DC DE FL GA IA IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MO MS NC ND NJ NY OH OK OR PA RI SC TN TX UT VA VT WV

Presence in Canada:ON

Contact us at [email protected] or follow @leafsnap on Twitter! View our Privacy Policy.

This project was supported in part by NSF Grant IIS-03-25867 (ITR: An Electronic Field Guide: Plant Exploration and Discovery in the 21st Century) and by the Washington Biologists' Field Club.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation (NSF).