Taxon

Catalpa speciosa

 
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Catalpa speciosa - Cigartree, Catawba, Catalpa, Northern Catalpa
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Common name: Cigartree, Catawba, Catalpa, Northern Catalpa
Family: Bignoniaceae (Trumpet-creeper)
Distribution: C and E USA to Utah
Habitat: Riparian, low and upland woods. 50-200 meters.
Hardiness: -30 - 20 F
Life form: Deciduous tree
Average height: 40-70'
Bloom Time: May to June
Structure: Round; oval
Bark characteristics: Young: brown, thin Mature: gray-brown, ridged
Foliage characteristics: Simple, alternate, broad and ovate-oblong leaves are pointed and heart-shaped with entire margins. Tend to whorl in 3s on young stems. 12" long.
Fall color: Yellow
Bloom characteristics: Clusters of bell-shaped, 5 lobed flowers with ruffled edges. Tubular and up to .5" across.
Fruit characteristics: Slender, green seedpods develop in summer, mature in fall, turn brown and split open lengthwise to disperse seeds in the spring. 10-24" long.
Medicinal/pharmaceutical: Pioneer doctors used seed pods and seeds to make decoction for chronic bronchial affections, spasmodic asthma, labored breathing, and heart problems. Juice from leaves or roots was used to treat eye swelling. Green leaves were crushed and placed on swollen lymph glands. Bark was dried and ground into a powder to be taken or brewed as a tea for swollen lymph glands.
Pharmaceutical research has shown tree to have diuretic properties.
Description: The northern catalpa is mostly planted today as a shade tree with beautiful, white speckled flowers. In the past, European settlers planted it for fence posts, for railroad ties and wood to feed the engines, for packing material, and telephone poles. It was once thought to give off poisonous emanations, but modern research has shown no evidence of this. Doctors used various parts of the tree to treat breathing and heart problems, and for swelling.
In the winter, the northern catalpa has unique identifying leaf scars on its twigs. Its leaf scars are sunken, look like suction cups, and have a whorled arrangement of three scars per a node. Another identifying trait, is that unlike the southern catalpa, the leaves of this tree do not have an unpleasant aroma when bruised.
This tree is listed as Rare in Indiana.
Links: Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

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