Catalpa bignonioides 'AUREA'

Every garden, even the small one, deserves a specimen tree: in the centre of the lawn, in the corner, or in front of the entrance. This southern catalpa offers quite a few attractive features: leaf size, leaf colour, flowers, and the habit itself.

Aurea variey bears huge, tropical looking, heart shaped leaves (20-25 cm large), of bright yellow-green colour. They are slightly hairy like suede, pleasant to touch. They have interesting scent similar to tobacco leaves that allegedly repels insects.

Beginning of summer 20-30 cm tall upright panicles are formed with many bell-shaped, white flowers with purple and yellow marking. Seeds ripen in long brown pods that hang on the tree all winter until early spring.

Just one thing has to be observed: summer mildew. When the weather is warm and wet, usually beginning of summer, the leaves may be affected by mildew infection which is manifested by small grayish white spots that quickly spread throughout the entire leaf. Once you see the spots treat the leaves with a fungicide (with copper content). Otherwise the leaves will remain covered with the mildew film until the autumn.

It grows medium fast or fast. Shrub forms look best as they form its natural wide umbrella shape from the ground. Tree forms make umbrella crowns, too, and tend to make layers of branches with age. Naturally it grows to some 8m but it is usually kept much smaller by pruning from mid-spring until early summer. Pruned catalpas have denser and more compact crowns.

Catalpas are not too picky about pH or soil type. However, they will respond well to good, well-drained soil. Our catalpas performed exceptionally well even on clay and withstood temporary water-logging. They do not suffer from air-pollution and adverse conditions. Fully hardy to approx. -28°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 05-12-2008.