Southern Catalpa is a medium sized, flowering deciduous tree with a short, thick trunk and a broadly rounded irregular crown. A relatively easily grown shade tree tolerant of clay and wet or dry conditions. Showy white fragrant flower clusters appear in summer followed by this initial flowering, very long, thin seed pods which droop from the branches in a unique, string-like display through the next winter. The genus name comes from the North American Indian name for the tree while the species name means resembling the genus Bignonia or cross vine.
Most often found naturally in rich moist soils by the streamsbanks and rivers, this long-lived tree is native to the southeastern US.
Smaller than it’s northern relative.