Catalpa tree

The catalpa tree is quite exotic for our places, but you can find it in gardens, parks, alleys and even in suburban or summer cottages. How to properly and simply plant, care for, propagate a plant, and also fight pests - read our article.

Catalpa: photo of a tree

Catalpa: tree description

The Catalpa plant is an unusual tree that is used as a decorative element. It appeared on the territory of our country around the 19th century. North America is considered the birthplace of a beautiful tree, but now the plant grows calmly in countries with cold climates. The exotic Catalpa tree is found both in squares, parks, and in summer cottages or suburban areas. Experienced gardeners and summer residents prefer to plant catalpa because of its beautiful appearance, which becomes even more remarkable during the flowering process.

Catalpa: photo of a tree

Types and varieties of Catalpa

As mentioned above, not only North America, but also India and Asia are considered the birthplace of the catalpa. At the moment, eleven species of this plant are known. Some of them are used as a decorative element for a garden or plot.
The plant has round or heart-shaped leaves that are firmly on the branch before the onset of cold weather. Catalpa inflorescences have a pleasant aroma, rather large flowers of snow-white or pink color with purple veins inside, the shape of the flowers resembles bells. The flowering process is long, occurs at the beginning - mid-summer. It is believed that the plant reaches its highest degree of beauty during flowering. The fruits are large in size, up to fifty centimeters long, there are seeds inside, in appearance they can be compared with a pea pod or an icicle. If you are lucky and there will be no strong winds, the fruits are able to hold out on the branches at least the entire winter. This makes the tree even more unusual in winter.
These types of Catalpa plants grow and bloom well in our country:

• "Egg-shaped". The growing season is short enough, the plant is a huge shrub.
• "Magnificent". The plant tends to grow rapidly, grows up to ten meters high, leaves are large, rich crown.
• "Bignoniform". The plant has a round crown, sweeping branches. The flowering process lasts about forty to fifty days. As mentioned above, these species grow well on the territory of Russia, the level of frost resistance is high enough not to die in winter. Experienced gardeners and summer residents prefer to grow a catalpa plant because of its appearance during the flowering process, which occurs in the summer, and not in the spring, like many other plants, which most often fade in summer.

Breeding scientists have currently bred a sufficient number of catalpa varieties. One of them

• "Bignoniform" catalpa. The advantage over other varieties is that the foliage creates a more lush appearance. 
• "Aurea". The leaves are yellow during the growing season, if the sun comes out, the effect of golden foliage is created. Most often grown by layering and offspring.

• "Nana". The crown is large, its diameter reaches from two to four meters, the shape is spherical.

• Kene. The leaves are yellow with green veins.

• "Purpurea". The leaves are brown or red in color.

Experienced gardeners and summer residents recommend growing catalpa varieties "Nana", as it has the highest level of cold resistance among the rest.

Planting Catalpa seedlings

Catalpa seedlings: photo

The catalpa plant is photophilous and prefers areas with sufficient sunlight, but it can grow in a partially shaded area. Ideal arrangement of trees near the water, in a clearing or along alleys. It is recommended to use an annual seedling as a planting material.
Finding catalpa seedlings in a regular store is not easy, but you can always go to a special store with goods in the garden and vegetable garden category. Buying goods in such stores, you can be calm, since the seedlings have already managed to acclimatize in our region.
Catalpa has no particular preferences for the soil; it is recommended to use nutritious, moist, with a medium acid level, drained soils. The tree is planted in March. The landing hole must be done seventy to one hundred and twenty centimeters deep. The space between exotic plants should be at least three meters.
To make the planting mixture, it is necessary to mix sand, peat, humus and leaf mixture among themselves (proportions of two to two to one to three). It is recommended to place a mixture of wood ash and phosphate rock at the bottom of the planting hole. We transfer the catalpa seedling into the hole, bury and moisten the soil. Don't forget to mulch the ground. The ground level should be the same as the root collar.
Remember that strong and cold winds often damage the plant, so think about this in advance.

Simple and correct plant care

Catalpa tree: photo

In order for the plant to have no difficulties in growth and flowering, the soil should be drained and fed. Caring for the plant is extremely simple, all you need to do is:

• Regular watering. The soil should be moistened twice every seven days in extreme heat, if the temperature is around fifteen degrees, then reduce watering to two to three times a month.
• Timely pruning of branches. Only infected, dried, damaged, weak branches should be removed.
• Timely feeding. Preference should be given to mineral and organic fertilizers. Do not feed the plant more than two to three times a season, as an excess of fertilizer negatively affects the growth of the tree. Remember to moisten the soil before feeding.
• Plant protection from cold weather. Most of all attention and time should be paid to young seedlings. Protect them from the cold, as adults do not need to do this. Mulch the soil in both young and mature trees. Sometimes an exotic tree freezes over the winter, but bounces back the next year.
• Regular weeding and loosening of the soil.

How does the Catalpa tree propagate?

Catalpa seedlings: photo

There are three methods for breeding catalpa. These are: seeds, layering, cuttings (summer season).
If you have chosen the method of reproduction of catalpa using cuttings, starting in July, cut them off by ten centimeters and plant in a substrate (which includes peat and sand).
The most famous and simplest method is using seeds. We place the seeds in containers with warm water, then move them into a container with earth and cover it with a thick film. We plant the seeds to a depth of one centimeter. You can plant in the spring and autumn. When pecking the first shoots - remove the film.

Catalpa tree: photo

Various diseases of the Catalpa tree and parasites

The level of resistance of Catalpa to parasites and various diseases is very high. Unfortunately, the catalpa is still attacked by insects, for example, the "Spanish fly" is one of the most dangerous parasites. To control pests, purchase special products and carry out prophylaxis before planting.

Catalpa tree: planting and care