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Useful
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Tree |
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Catalpa
Genus |
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| Other Names for this Plant |
Catawba Tree, Northern Catalpa, Indian Bean Tree and Cigar Tree
Origin & Range: Native to warm temperate regions of North America, the West Indies, and eastern Asia.Prior to European settlement it was native to a small area of the central Mississippi Valley basin, western Tennessee, north east Arkansas, the lowlands of south east Mississippi and southern Illinois and Indiana. It is now readily found from Kansas south to Texas and eastward to Louisiana.
Catalpas typically grow to 12-18 m (40-60 ft) tall and 6-12 m (20-40 ft) wide. A 10-year-old sapling will stand about 6 m (20 ft) tall. They can be recognized by their large heart-shaped to three-lobed leaves, showy white or yellow flowers in broad panicles, and in the autumn by their 20-50 cm long fruits which resemble a slender bean pod, containing numerous small flat seeds, each seed having two thin wings to aid wind dispersal. Because of the leaves, they are sometimes confused for Tung trees in the south U.S.
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Tounge Order (Mints) |
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Main, Real, Two First-Leaves (Dicots) |
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Real, Two First-Leaves (Dicots) |
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Half Capsule Seed Division |
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Magnolia Division |
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Seed Plants |
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Multiple Spore Sub-Kingdom |
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Multicellular Land Plants |
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Cells with a Nucleus |
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Historically catalpa wood has been valued for manufacturing fence posts. The northern catalpa is considered invasive in many areas. Untrimmed trees may produce undesirable amounts of debris
The bark of this tree has been used as a quinine substitute in the treatment of malaria and also as an antidote to snake bites.
Pioneer doctors used the seedpods and seed to make a decoction for chronic bronchial infections, spasmodic asthma, labored breathing, and heart conditions. The Juice from either the leaves or roots was used to treat swelling of the eye or cutaneous infections. Green leaves were crushed and placed on swollen lymph gland. The bark was dried, then ground up into a powder and taken or brewed into a decoction and taken fro swollen lymph glands
In Japan -- the magical bow Azusa-Yumi is called the "bow made from the catalpa tree". This goes back to an ancient Chinese tradition of magic regarding the appeasement of the souls of the dead. Furthermore the Hama-Yumi, the "evil-destroying bow" is used in numerous ceremonies in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, and is set up in a place of honor or on the home shrine where it protects private households from evil influences.
The largest living Catalpa tree is on the lawn of the Michigan State capitol and was planted in the year of its dedication.
Catalpa Tree
Flowers closeup
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Catalpa Tree
Flowers
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Catalpa Tree
Flower from the side
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Catalpa Tree
Trunk of Tree
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Catalpa Tree
Seedpods
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Catalpa Tree
Older Tree
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Catalpa Tree
Bark of an older tree
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| Comment:
Catalpa Tree, Catalpa speciosa |
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