Catalpa speciosa (Northern Catalpa)
| Also known as: | Cigar Tree |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Catalpa |
| Family: | Bignoniaceae (Trumpet Creeper) |
| Life cycle: | perennial woody |
| Origin: | southeast US |
| Habitat: | sun; disturbed soil; forest edges, ravines, floodplains, roadsides, fencerows, residential landscapes |
| Bloom season: | May - June |
| Plant height: | 30 to 80 feet |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FACU MW: FACU NCNE: FACU |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/catalpa-speciosa-007.jpg)
Branching clusters at the tips of 1-year-old branches. Flowers are very showy, tubular, about 2½ inches long, to 1+ inch wide, white with 5 ruffled lobes that have purple spots and streaks into the tube. The upper 2 lobes are shortest and turn up, the lower 3 extend out and down and have a pair of orange-yellow lines near the base and into the tube. Inside the tube are 2 fertile stamens, 3 shorter sterile stamens, and a white style.
![[side view of flower]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/catalpa-speciosa-004.jpg)
The calyx cupping the flower is short and has 2 lobes of unequal size. The calyx, stems and stalks are hairless to sparsely hairy.
Leaves and bark:
![[leaf scan]](/udata/r9ndp23q/trees/catalpa-speciosa-front-back.jpg)
Leaves are simple and opposite, sometimes whorled or appearing so, the blade 6 to 12 inches long, 5 to 8 inches wide, tapered to a pointed tip, the base straight across to slightly rounded to heart-shaped, on a stalk up to 5 inches long. Edges are toothless, the upper surface dark green and hairless, lower surface lighter green and hairy especially along major veins. Leaf stalks are sparsely hairy.
![[photo of twig, leaf scar and bud]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/catalpa-speciosa-bud-07.jpg)
Twigs are initially green turning reddish-brown, and hairless with scattered white lenticils (pores). The terminal bud is absent and lateral buds are covered in reddish-brown scales. Leaf scars are large and oval to nearly round.
![[photo of mature trunk]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/catalpa-speciosa-6986-3.jpg)
Older bark is gray to reddish brown, with shallow to deep fissures and scaly ridges. Branches are stiff and form an irregular crown. Trunks can reach 40 inches diameter at breast height (dbh).
Fruit:
![[photo of developing fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/catalpa-speciosa-013.jpg)
Fruit is a slender, cylindric, bean-like capsule 10 to 20 inches long and about ½ inch wide, greenish in summer drying to reddish-brown and persisting through winter.
![[photo of seeds]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/catalpa-speciosa-012719-5.jpg)
The capsule splits in two in spring, revealing overlapping, flattened seeds that have a papery covering forming a fringed wing on each end. The seed with its covering is ¾ to 1 inch long.
Notes:
Northern Catalpa is native to a limited region to our south and east but has been cultivated as a landscape tree outside of its natural range. It occasionally escapes cultivation. It volunteered in our own yard from elsewhere in the neighborhood and we transplanted it to a sunnier spot our front yard. It should be recognizable almost any time of year. Look for the persistent fruits, twigs lacking a terminal bud and the nearly round leaf scar in winter, the large, showy flowers in spring and the large, egg to heart-shaped leaves through fall.
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More photos
Flowering Northern Catalpa
Fruiting Northern Catalpa
Northern Catalpa in a residential landscape
fall color
more leaves
fruit persists through winter
Flowering Northern Catalpa
Fruiting Northern Catalpa
Northern Catalpa in a residential landscape
fall color
more leaves
fruit persists through winterPhotos by Peter M. Dziuk taken in Anoka and Ramsey counties.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2020-01-17 08:01:10
The Brainerd arboretum has some specimens but they seem to struggle in this colder climate, I had a very large tree in my yard when I lived in Excelsior many years ago, and it had wonderful blooms with scent, and was perfectly hardy. I even saw some neighborhoods in S Mpls that had their boulevards lined with them. I wonder just how far north they can expect to thrive. It doesn't appear they can at this latitude.
on: 2020-04-19 09:04:40
There's a nice big Catalpa in center median of MN 10 in Elk River and a few others scattered around the city.
on: 2020-05-08 22:25:30
They are spreading like crazy along the Mississippi river. I have seen them as far north as the city of Anoka and in the floodplain of the Mississippi river.
on: 2020-06-20 12:00:15
We have a group of massive Northern Catalpas at our little neighborhood park in Eagan. The massive leaves and beautiful flowers really are captivating, rather otherworldly compared to the ash and maple trees around. The seed pods are pretty big and litter the ground in the fall.
on: 2020-07-18 23:55:50
There are a few mature catalpas in town. We've tried growing one but it dies back each year.
on: 2021-04-15 12:22:56
There's a large specimen on Victoria St N near Ivy in St. Paul.
on: 2021-06-19 19:06:50
A nice Catalpa at Little Elk park, in Morrison County. It is next to the river, near an old homestead site. Flowering now, a beautiful tree!
on: 2021-07-16 16:54:16
We have a mature one growing in our front yard in Bloomington.
on: 2021-07-21 12:06:56
My neighbor started a tree for me, it's only about 2' high right now. She said to transplant in fall - is that a good time? Or can I keep it in a larger pot in our garage through this next winter and transplant next year when it's bigger? Not sure how fast they grow. Thanks!
on: 2022-03-29 20:58:04
My mom has a nice one on her property in Rice. It almost looks like lightening struck it at one point because part of the trunk is missing the interior and yet it still has the leaves in the summer
on: 2022-05-31 12:22:46
There are 3 in my townhouse association property. Mirror Lake Townhouses
on: 2022-06-20 15:52:23
I have a mature Catalpa in my backyard. It currently stands about 30 feet tall. It lost one of its larger limbs in a storm a couple of years ago. I was concerned that it would die, but has been flourishing. Hawley is about 25 miles east of Fargo/Moorhead. My children have 15 sprouts that are soon ready to transplant as well.
on: 2022-09-10 08:15:51
There are 2 mature Catalpa trees that I know of in the City of Wabasha in southeast Minnesota.
on: 2022-09-16 20:20:14
There was a huge one next door . It was cut down but not before it left seed pods and started growing in my yard. I now have approx 10 now growing .The oldest is now approximately 10 years old . Huge leaves lots of beans filled with seeds . It is very fast growing . I Want to harvest seeds . The neighbor said he grew his in buckets and then transferred them.
on: 2022-09-26 12:17:55
A 25' tree is located next to the trails around Lake Harriett, opposite the tennis court parking lot at Beard's Plaisance.
on: 2024-06-16 11:55:09
Several Catalpa were planted in the Sunset Pond Park in Burnsville years ago. Nice accent to the pond.