Northern Catalpa, Cigar-tree, Hardy Catalpa, Western Catalpa, Indian Bean Catalpa speciosa Bignonia Family (Bignoniaceae)

​The Bloom Blog
Blooming this week in the environs of Abiquiú
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By Wildflowers of the Southern Rocky Mountains

Found in roadsides, clearings, yards
Seen blooming in June near Hwy 554

​Northern Catalpa is native to the mid-West but it has been widely planted in urban areas as a street tree and lawn tree as it grows in moist low spots or dry areas with poor soils. The name ‘catalpa’ comes from the Cherokee Indian name for the tree. It grows 40 to 60 feet tall, with a narrow, open, irregularly rounded crown and spreading branches. Its bark is brownish-gray becoming ridged with age. It has large, heart-shaped leaves and pyramid-shaped clusters of fragrant, showy flowers. Flowers are large, over 2 inches long, white and bell-shaped with ruffled edges and orange stripes and purple spots and stripes inside. The long, bean-like seed pods are 8 to 18 inches long, turn brown and persist through the winter. European settlers planted the tree to produce fence posts. Railroad companies grew plantations of it for use as track ties and fuel wood. Carpenters commonly used it for interior trim and to make furniture. The seed pods are not toxic but have no culinary use. Pioneer doctors used the seed pods and seeds to make a decoction for chronic bronchial infections, spasmodic asthma, labored breathing and heart problems. The juice from either the leaves or roots was used to treat swelling of an eye or cutaneous affections. Green leaves were crushed and placed on swollen lymph glands. Source.

If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to [email protected]. Read online for tips.