Leaf
Pierre Bonnet, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Indian bean tree
Catalpa bignonioides Walter
Also known as: Common catalpa, Southern catalpa, Cigar tree
Family: Bignoniaceae
10 to 15 m tall
Planted as a specimen in parks, gardens and urban avenues
Flowering: June – July
Full sun
Hardy, to about -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The Indian bean tree owes its name to its long, cylindrical, pendulous pods, which can reach 40 cm in length and stay on the tree long after the leaves have fallen.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, very large, heart-shaped, opposite or whorled
🌸 Flowers
White, spotted with yellow and purple inside, grouped in large upright panicles
🍎 Fruits
Long cylindrical pendulous pod, resembling a giant bean, persisting through winter
🪵 Bark
Grey, flaking in thin plates
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the south-eastern United States; widely planted in France as an urban ornamental
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large panicles rich in nectar, very attractive to bees in summer
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ornamental tree planted for its giant foliage, spectacular flowering and long decorative pods
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known
🌱 Known cultivars
'Aurea'
The cultivar 'Aurea' has golden to yellow-green foliage, much brighter than the bright green of the species, particularly noticeable in spring on the young leaves.
🌿 Other Bignoniaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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