# Catalpa

The Catalpa tree has large, heart-shaped leaves and beautiful white flowers. It provides a perfect spot for playing in the shade!

- **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Fields and parks
- **Also known as:** Cigar Tree, Indian Bean Tree, Western Catalpa

![Catalpa](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426947/objects/4866.jpg)

## Appearance

The Catalpa is a medium-sized tree with strikingly large, heart-shaped leaves and showy clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers often spotted with yellow and purple. Its most distinctive feature is the long, slender, bean-like seed pods that can hang from branches all winter.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Anthophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Bignoniaceae
- **Genus:** Catalpa

## Interesting facts

- Catalpa trees are sometimes called "Cigar Trees" because their long seed pods look just like cigars!
- Catalpa wood is naturally resistant to rot, making it great for fence posts and outdoor projects!
- Despite looking like beans, Catalpa pods are toxic if eaten by humans or pets.
- Its giant heart-shaped leaves can grow over a foot long, making them huge among trees!

## Special abilities

- **Pollinator Magnet:** Catalpa flowers produce abundant nectar, helping them attract bees and hummingbirds for successful reproduction.
- **Winter Seed Store:** Catalpa's long, persistent seed pods keep seeds safe and disperse them gradually throughout the winter.
- **Pest Protector:** Catalpa leaves produce compounds that naturally repel some insect pests, helping it stay healthy.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-25 m
- **Spread:** 10-15 m
- **Edible:** No
- **Size:** 60-120 cm
- **Lifespan:** 50-100 years
- **Fruit Type:** Long bean-like pods
- **Growth Rate:** Fast
- **Leaf Type:** Deciduous

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** Catalpa Sphinx Moth (*Manduca catalpae*) — Larvae feed exclusively on Catalpa leaves.
- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar from abundant Catalpa flowers.
- **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — Visits the showy flowers for nectar.
- **Depends on:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Used for ornamental planting, shade, and durable timber.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Catalpa?

Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Catalpa?

10-25 m

### How wide does Catalpa spread?

10-15 m

### Is Catalpa edible?

No

### How big is Catalpa?

60-120 cm

### How long does Catalpa live?

50-100 years

### Where is Catalpa usually found?

Fields and parks

### What kind of fruit does Catalpa produce?

Long bean-like pods

## More Trees

- [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*)
- [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*)
- [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*)
- [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*)

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Source: [Catalpa: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/catalpa)