Catalpa is another tree that has benefited from its relationships with humans. Originally native to very small areas in the southern US, several enthusiasts began mailing seeds to anyone who wanted them in the late 19th century.

Two species from small areas of the southern US, Catalpa speciosa and C. bignoniodes, can be hard to tell apart and hybridize readily.

The thought behind the planting frenzy was that catalpas would make good railroad ties, at a time when the rapid growth of railroads raised demand for wood. Nobody bothered to test catalpa wood, and it actually makes low-quality ties that quickly degrade. There was a substantial market for catalpa wood, but for fence posts and poles, not ties.

The enthusiasm for planting catalpa seeds means that the trees are now widely scattered throughout the US and southern Canada. This is good because they are absolutely beautiful. Their graceful form in large trees and their crops of large, showy flowers makes this a delightful tree for large landscapes where they have plenty of room. They produce an immense amount of debris - flowers, huge leaves, fruit that are called cigars.

We have to thank the botanist Peter del Tredici for his research on Catalpa. His best report is The Great Catalpa Craze, Arnoldia 46:2-10, 1986, and is highly recommended.

Do you know this tree where you live?

Photos by the author