Northern Catalpa
Catalpa speciosa
Learn about the northern catalpa including when and why it was planted, how to identify it, and where to find it on campus.
Tree Facts
Family: Bignoniaceae
Type
Deciduous
Fall color
Flowering
Pollinator habitat
Size
Medium (25-50 feet)
Traits
- Fruit and seed pods that resemble long, slender cigars
- Large heart-shaped leaves emerge late in spring and give the tree a course texture
- Trumpet-shaped, white and yellow striped orchid-like flowers emerge in early June
- Susceptible to catalpa horn worm infestation
Native Range
- None (horticulturalists developed this species)
Story of the Tree
The northern catalpa is found just west of the main gate entry to the Governor’s mansion. Although this tree is not usually seen in South Puget Sound, it is part of the original Olmsted Brothers tree plan.
This tree is also known as hardy catalpa, western catalpa, cigar tree and Catawba-tree. It is called cigar tree because its fruit or seed pods resemble a long, slender cigar.
This tree has large, heart-shaped leaves that grow late in the spring and give the tree a course texture. Trumpet shaped flowers that are white with yellow stripes and purple spots are highly noticeable in early June.
The tree is adapted to moist, high pH soils.
