southern catalpa
Catalpa bignonioides · Bignoniaceae
southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) is a perennial tree in the Bignoniaceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 5 and warmer, down to about -18°F.
At a glance
| Type | tree USDA |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | native USDA |
| Mature height | 66 ft USDA |
| Light | part-shade USDA |
| Water need | low USDA |
| Growth rate | rapid USDA |
| Soil pH | 5.5–7.5 USDA |
| Bloom | April–May USDA |
| Flower color | White USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 5 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | canopy Derived |
| Nursery availability | Routinely Available USDA |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It grows in partial shade. USDA rates it as having low water needs once established. Its drought tolerance is rated medium. It will not tolerate waterlogged soil — USDA rates its anaerobic tolerance as none. It is recorded on soils from pH 5.5 to 7.5 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 5.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 66 ft, making it a large tree that will dominate its site. It grows quickly.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of April through May. Flowers are white.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, coarse in texture. Its flowers are conspicuous. Its fruit or seed heads are conspicuous, extending interest past flowering. Its active growth period is spring. USDA rates its lifespan as long.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 30 to 65 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 140 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 36 inches. Fertility requirement: medium.
Propagating it
Propagate it from seed, bare root and container stock. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a slow rate. It does not spread vegetatively, so it will stay where you put it.
Resilience and wildlife
Browsing animals find it moderately palatable, so expect deer and rabbits to take an interest. Its fire tolerance is rated none, and it can resprout after damage. Its growth form is recorded as single crown.
Role in a guild
Canopy. In a layered planting this is the tallest layer of a planting — it sets the light budget everything beneath it lives on. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Catalpa
- northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa
Similar role and hardiness
- tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima
- European alder Alnus glutinosa
- water hickory Carya aquatica
- Chinese chestnut Castanea mollissima
- American holly Ilex opaca
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol CABI8, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, Bloom, Bloom end, browse palatability, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, Nursery availability, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, seed spread rate, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil, Toxicity, Type, vegetative spread rate, Water need.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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