The beautiful catalpa was first described in 1735 by Carl Linnaeus. She has many names: Indian bean, cigar, pasta and even worm and bait. But the most suitable and common of them is the "tree of happiness."
Catalpa is beautiful - a spectacular tree, the spreading branches of which will not only give shade on a sultry day, but also envelop in a sweet scent
Description of the magnificent catalpa
Catalpa beautiful, or magnificent (lat.Catalpa Preciosa), is an ornamental deciduous tree native to North America. It also occurs naturally in Japan, China, India, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. Initially, beautiful catalpa was a thermophilic plant that spread mainly near lakes and rivers. Thanks to breeders, the tree was cultivated for cultivation in the middle lane with a temperate climate. Beautiful catalpa perfectly tolerates winter, withstands frosts down to - 28 ° C.
The genus of the beautiful catalpa tree is Bignonium. Previously, it reached a height of up to 35 m, but in a temperate climate it is now no more than 15 m. The trunk of the tree is straight, gray in color, and the bark has a lamellar structure. The crown of the catalpa has a beautiful pyramidal shape, densely covered with foliage and flowers. The leaves are dark green, large, about 30x15 cm, heart-shaped, with a glossy texture on top and rough at the bottom. The leaves remain green until the first frost. Only after that do they begin to turn yellow. The flowering of the catalpa tree is abundant: inflorescences with cream flowers and interspersed with yellow and lilac.
The fruit is a narrow, long pod (up to 56 cm), similar to a legume. After ripening, it cracks, and long winged and hairy seeds fall out of it. Ripening of beautiful catalpa occurs in October, but the seed boxes do not fall off, but remain hanging until the spring thaw.
Important! The Indians discovered excellent healing properties of catalpa and used it to treat whooping cough and malaria.
How beautiful catalpa blooms
Beautiful catalpa flowers exude a sweet honey aroma, which attracts bees and other insects. They are cream-colored with thin yellow stripes and lilac blotches, up to 7 cm long. The flowers are grouped in inflorescences up to 25 cm long. Catalpa budding begins in July and lasts from 2 weeks to a month (depending on weather conditions).
Another name for the beautiful catalpa is the orchid tree, this is due to the similarity of the flowers of both plants.
Application in landscape design
At any time of the year, catalpa looks spectacular: in the summer it is decorated with huge leaves and bright inflorescences, in the fall, instead of flowers, seed boxes appear, which hang in long pods resembling earrings. In winter, the tree throws off its leaves and remains in only earrings, which last until late spring.
The spreading branches of the beautiful catalpa will transform both the personal plot and city streets and squares. It is only worth considering the wood's dislike of drafts. By placing the seedling on a slope or cliff, the growing roots will help strengthen the embankment.
Advice! When planting a beautiful catalpa in an urban area, you should allocate a place for it a little more than a tree is supposed to.
The photo of the beautiful catalpa in the city park shows how effectively it decorates the walking area:
Often the culture grows so strong that it interferes with other plants and buildings.
Catalpa in landscape design
The rapid growth of trees, as well as exceptional decorativeness at any time of the year, have made culture a favorite with gardeners and landscape designers. Plants are used in single, group plantings, form alleys. In the urban landscape, trees adorn the areas in front of office, residential buildings, shops. Resistance to a gaseous atmosphere allows you to decorate not only squares, but also sidewalks or roadsides of major highways.
The combination of several plants of different species with flowers or leaves of different shades increases the decorativeness of the plantings. Catalpa, surrounded by a hedge or border of cotoneaster, boxwood, hawthorn, creates a composition that is decorative all year round.
In small areas, a large catalpa (magnificent or bignoniform) creates the main accent and serves as the center of the entire garden composition. In large gardens, planting culture next to oak, paulownia, magnolia, coniferous trees is successful.
Fragrant flowering plants are excellent melliferous plants, the leaves emit volatile compounds that repel blood-sucking insects, and the tent crowns of trees provide a very dense shade. Thanks to such advantages, the tall catalpa very quickly became a favorite in private gardens, in courtyards and outdoor recreation areas.
The roots of the plant perfectly penetrate and hold the soil, which serves to anchor the loose banks of water bodies.
Catalpa on a trunk in landscape design perfectly frames paths, complements flower beds, leaving space for ornamental grasses, primroses, host, shrubs. For low, neat accents, use Catalpa Nana. If you want to create a more voluminous composition, decorate a hedge or a high fence, a hybrid type of catalpa is more often used.
Breeding features
Reproduction of beautiful catalpa occurs by seed and vegetative methods. Both are equally simple and effective.
One seed box contains approximately 20 seeds. Of these, from 4 to 10 plants germinate. Seed reproduction stages:
- In the fall, pick the pod with seeds, wait until it ripens and dries, turns brown. Then it is easy to open it and take out the seeds.
- Prepare a container for seedlings. Fill it about 2/3 with pure soil.
- Soak the seeds. This is done at the end of February. The temperature of the water should be warm, let it stand in it for 12 hours.
- Sow into a prepared container to a depth of 1 cm.
- Cover the container with glass, a transparent lid or a bag, place in a warm place with good (preferably natural) light.
- Irrigate the soil regularly throughout the month, ventilate the container. After this period, seedlings should appear.
- Remove the shelter and keep the plants warm for a couple of months, moisturize. During this time, the sprouts grow stronger.
- With the arrival of heat for a while, it is important to take the seedlings outside, gradually increasing the time spent there.
- In May, you can plant sprouts in open ground.
The seed boxes of the beautiful catalpa look very much like catkins.
A seedling grown by a seed method grows crookedly when transplanted into the ground. In order to "align" the trunk of the catalpa, in the first (or several subsequent) years of life, the tree should be cut into a stump. This will cause vigorous growth of strong and even shoots. Of these, you need to choose the strongest, the others - cut off.
Algorithm for the vegetative method (cuttings):
- Cut several shoots in July-August. Length - about 15 cm, the branch should have several formed, live buds
Important! To prevent diseases, a cut on a tree must be treated with garden varnish. - Dip the cuttings into a container with a growth stimulator (Kornevin).
- After the roots have sprouted, lower each cutting into a separate container with prepared soil. It should be composed of peat and sand. Cover with a clear plastic bottle for a greenhouse effect.
- Remove the bottle every day, moisten the soil and ventilate the plant (about 7-10 minutes). Young leaf plates will help to understand that the cuttings are well rooted.
- In May, transplant seedlings into open ground.
In the first 2-3 years, a young tree of splendid catalpa gives an increase of about 1 m per season
Advice! Before planting seedlings, you need to make sure that frost (especially soil) is not predicted in the future.
Catalpa species and varieties
Catalpa bignoniform - in the wild, the tree can be found in North America. It grows on the banks of rivers. The plant reaches a height of 20 meters. Catalpa has a spreading, rounded crown. The bark of the catalpa is thinly lamellar with a light brown color. The leaves are large, light green, resembling lilacs in appearance.
The inflorescences of the plant are pyramidal. They reach 20 centimeters wide and 30 centimeters long. The inflorescences consist of small fragrant flowers of white color with red-brown specks. The flowering period is 20 days, after which long, narrow pods with small seeds begin to form.
Catalpa is beautiful - the homeland of this variety of catalpa is North America. An adult tree reaches a height of 30 meters and has a wide pyramidal crown with large light green leaves and a thin gray bark.
The inflorescences of the plant are panicle-shaped and consist of small, pleasantly smelling cream-colored flowers with purple specks. Catalpa fruits are small capsules that crack when ripe and drop the seeds to the ground.
Catalpa is magnificent
The crown of the tree has a pyramidal shape. The trunk is covered with a thin gray bark. Leaves are large, dark green. The inflorescences are creamy with yellow stripes and dark specks.
The scent of flowers vaguely resembles apple. Catalpa blooms for only a month. Grows in fertile soil and loves importance. This type of plant is distinguished by frost resistance and good resistance to diseases and pests.
Catalpa nana - is a small, slowly growing tree with a spherical crown with a dense light green leaf. The height of the catalpa reaches from 4 to 6 meters.
Flowering time from June to July. The flowers are collected in large inflorescences with a pleasant aroma and a pale beige tint with yellow stripes and brown specks. Catalpa fruits are narrow, long, pod-like.
Spherical catalpa - this variety was bred by crossing ovoid and common catalpa. The tree reaches a height of 16 meters and has a luxurious rounded crown with a light green leaf cover. Catalpa inflorescences are loose and large, consisting of small white flowers with purple specks on the outside of the petals.
Catalpa ovoid
The plant is native to Central China. An adult tree reaches a height of 10 meters, but when grown in a garden, the catalpa does not grow more than 4 meters.
She is the owner of large, pleasantly smelling white flowers with a purple throat, collected in large brushes. The fruits of the plant resemble thin and long pods. Catalpa needs a lot of light and nutritious soil to grow and develop.
Catalpa blushing purpurea - an adult tree reaches a height of 10 meters. It has a dense pyramidal crown with large leaves, very unusual in shade. When the leaf plates only bloom, they have a purple hue, but after a month, they change their color to light green.
The plant blooms with small flowers, similar to white bells with purple specks, collected in large and long brushes. The flowering time of the catalpa falls in the middle of summer and lasts only a month.
Common catalpa - the tree has straight stems with a dense leafy cover of a light green hue. The height of the tree reaches 8 meters. Catalpa blooms throughout the month in large clusters with small white inflorescences with a purple throat. The seeds are thin and long pods that ripen in mid-fall.
Catalpa bunge - the homeland of the plant is North China. The variety is named in honor of the botanist from Germany Alexander Bunge, who is the discoverer of this variety. The tree has a pyramidal crown with luxurious large leaves of a dark green hue. The inflorescences of the catalpa are small. They consist of 3–12 white small flowers with purple specks, after flowering of which pod-shaped fruits appear.
Catalpa graceful
It is a tree with a height of 8 to 10 meters. In the wild, its height can reach 20 meters. The crown of the catalpa is dense, having a pyramidal shape. The leaves are large, dark green. Small flowers are collected in large, racemose, pleasantly smelling white inflorescences with purple specks. The flowering time of the plant is in the middle of summer.
Catalpa aurea - This type of catalpa reaches a height of 8 meters and has a dense, pyramidal crown with large light green leaves. The tree blooms in June. Flowers are small, fragrant, collected in large white inflorescences with brown specks.
Catalpa hybrid - the tree grows up to 20 meters and has a round crown with spreading branches. The leaves are large, light green in color with slight pubescence. The plant blooms in mid-summer with beige-white flowers with a purple throat, collected in loose large brushes. After flowering, long, pod-shaped fruits are formed.
Catalpa fargesa - in the wild, the plant is found in the forests of Western China. The height of the tree reaches 20 meters. It has a wide, dense, spherical crown with a dense dark green leaf cover.
Catalpa blooms in June. Purple or pink flowers with an orange throat are collected in large, friable, pleasantly smelling clusters. After flowering, long and thin fruits are formed in the form of pods.
Landing algorithm
Catalpa is beautiful, reaching 10 years old, quite unpretentious in care. But the first 5 years after planting in open ground, it should be carefully looked after: it is then that the seedling grows stronger and hardened. If a few conditions are not met, the tree will grow frail or may die. Planting location, soil selection and consistent watering are few things to consider.
Recommended timing
One- or two-year-old seedlings are planted in open ground. Their difference is small. Two-year-old seedlings have a more developed root system, and it is easier for them to adapt in nature. This factor does not affect the fit. Planting occurs in the spring, after thawing the soil, or in the fall after the foliage has fallen off. Spring planting is preferable, because in this case the seedling has more time to root.
Site selection and soil preparation
The beautiful catalpa loves the sun, so landing is recommended in an open, not shaded area. The distance from it to another seedling or adult tree should be at least 5 m. This is due to the developed root system in breadth, as well as the large diameter of the crown.
Important! The plant is very sensitive to drafts. In summer, foliage suffers from it, in winter, the roots and crown freeze.
Beautiful catalpa feels great in all types of soils, but the best conditions for it are high soil moisture, a slight acidic environment, saturation with fertilizers, looseness and the presence of drainage.
Landing rules
Planting is carried out in several stages.
- Pit formation: depth 1 m, width 70 cm.
- Drainage laying. It can be fine brick or rubble. The drainage layer is made at least 12 cm.
- Preparation of a mixture of humus, sand, peat, turf soil. The proportions are 1: 2: 1: 2, respectively. Add wood ash up to 5 kg, phosphate rock 50 g to the mixture.
- Fill the pit with the prepared compound.
- Place the seedling in the middle of the hole, level the roots, sprinkle with earth, compact a little. Sprinkle the seedling with plenty of room temperature water.
- Mulch the ground around the stem with peat.
Why doesn't catalpa bloom?
Often, gardeners observe the absence of buds on the tree. This is due to several factors:
- the immaturity of the plant - catalps bloom 5-6 years after planting in open ground;
- feature of the variety;
- growing methods - catalpa on a trunk is often used for landscape design, but such specimens will not bloom.
Growing beautiful catalpa
The plant has taken root well not only in the southern regions, but also in central Russia. Catalpa is beautiful - the most frost-resistant type of catalpa, so its cultivation even in the Moscow region is not much different from other regions. Here, the growth of the seedling is slower, and the leaves appear only in May. For safe wintering, the tree will require a little more insulation, and in case of frosting of the branches, pruning them.
For a long time, beautiful catalpa has been used for landscaping city streets, replacing the usual and boring poplars, lindens and maples. The tree tolerates gas pollution of the city well, is resistant to drought, looks spectacular and does not require special care.
In the photo, the catalpa is magnificent during the flowering period:
Some specimens reach a height of 40 m
Watering and feeding schedule
In its historical homeland, beautiful catalpa in the wild, mainly grew on the banks of reservoirs and rivers. This is a moisture-loving plant. Therefore, it should be watered once a week for 2 buckets (20 l). In the rainy period, the frequency is reduced to 2-3 times a month, in the dry season, the number of irrigations increases. If the tree receives less water, it withers, foliage sags. After the rain, you should weed the catalpa, getting rid of the weeds at the same time.
Feeding beautiful catalpa is carried out 2 times a season. For this, a solution of rotted manure is made in a consistency of 1:10 with water. For 1 top dressing, 5 liters of the mixture will be required. In addition, in the spring the plant is fed with nitroammophos, in the fall - with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, diluted according to the instructions.
Pruning and shaping the crown
Pruning of beautiful catalpa takes place in early spring, before the buds swell. Branches are subject to pruning, which:
- injured;
- dry;
- frozen;
- are sick or damaged by pests.
Young trees often freeze over in winter, and some of the branches die. It is important to remove all damaged areas of the crown in time. The tree grows young shoots very quickly in place of the cut ones. Therefore, the beautiful catalpa grows rapidly, gets stronger, its bark coarsens and over the years is less and less exposed to frostbite.
Crown formation should not be too active. The branches are cut a little, the main attention should be paid to those that grow "ugly" and spoil the appearance of the tree.
Preparing for winter
Only young seedlings should be prepared for wintering. Mature trees tolerate winter well without additional insulation.
The seedling is covered with burlap, the trunk and the peri-stem region are sprinkled with spruce branches, dry leaves. In spring, the insulation should be removed before the onset of heat.
Important! After cleaning the shelter, the soil near the tree trunk should be loosened. This is done to prevent fungal infections.
In the photo there is a fading tree of the beautiful catalpa:
After the end of the budding period, the process of changing flowers to seed boxes takes place.
Catalpa - varieties
The exotic tree genus has only 10 species. Not all of them can be grown in Russia. The most popular varieties of culture among domestic gardeners:
- Catalpa bignoniform or common
... The tree grows up to 15-18 m in length. A distinctive feature of the species is that its leaves retain bright green colors until the onset of cold weather. After that, they simply fall off without turning yellow. Catalpa leaves secrete special substances that repel insect pests. Popular varieties of this type: Golden, Purple, Kene. - Catalpa is magnificent
... The plant is capable of growing up to meters in height in 1 year. Large specimens reach 40 m. This species can be distinguished from others by the pyramidal crown. The foliage of trees does not have the characteristic bignonium aroma. - Catalpa ovoid
... This species grows more slowly than its relatives. A mature tree rarely exceeds 10 m in height. Varieties of catalpa: Yellow, Bunge, Fargeza.
Diseases and pests
Subject to the rules of growing the Catalpa plant, beautiful is rarely attacked by pests and diseases.
Occasionally, wood becomes an object of destruction:
- Shpansky fly. To destroy the pest, catalpa should be treated twice with pyrethroid (Fastak, Decis, Karbofos, Kinmiks).
Spanny front sight reaches 1.5 cm in length - Horntail. This is an insect that infects a tree trunk, outwardly very similar to a hornet. Females of horny tails lay eggs in the bark of the beautiful catalpa. The grown larvae make passages in the trunk, which are clogged with drill meal. As a result, the tree weakens and dies. To avoid this situation, it should be prophylactically treated with insecticides.
Horntail can cause irreparable damage and even death to a tree.
Of the diseases, only the fungus of the Verticillus genus should be feared. When it hits a tree, it begins to wilt very quickly and die. It can only be saved by treatment with fungicides at the earliest stage when the first dried leaves appear.
Verticillium wilting is a serious disease, it can only be cured at an early stage.
Important! Periodic loosening of the near-stem region of the tree will help prevent fungal diseases. It helps oxygenate the soil and optimizes the water level in it.
What are the features of growing a catalpa tree
According to the photos and descriptions, planting and caring for the catalpa tree in the Urals is about the same as in other regions of our country. In the Urals, at one time the plant became especially widespread, after which it was able to adapt in the best way to more severe conditions of detention.
Consider the features of caring for a catalpa tree:
- once a week, the plant must be thoroughly watered and at the same time at least two buckets of water should be poured under one tree;
- loosening the soil under the tree is also an integral part of care, while it is necessary to perform such manipulations in the spring, but dig no deeper than 40 centimeters;
- at the beginning of the growing season, it is necessary to equip the plant with organic fertilizers - about 5-7 buckets of manure per tree will be enough;
- young plants should be carefully covered for the winter, so that severe frosts do not destroy young shoots;
- if some shoots have dried up or died out during the winter cold, they must be cut off in time so that new ones can grow in their place.
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Catalpa is an interesting exotic plant that will decorate any site and create comfort in it.
Catalpa is an incredibly expressive tree species in terms of decorativeness. Just imagine a giant with a powerful trunk and a spreading crown, dressed in huge unrealistically green glossy leaves, decorated in summer with large light candles of inflorescences, and in autumn with long earrings of bean pods.
The name catalpa comes from the nickname given to the tree by the Indians of North America. In ancient language, "katahlpa" means "winged head". Most likely, the people, traditionally living in unity with nature, noticed the plumage of seeds scattering over a long distance. Or maybe the tree got the name for its very large leaves fluttering like wings in the wind.
One way or another, but the name catalpa was finally consolidated by Karl Linnaeus, having compiled a description of the plant in 1735.
However, a tree with such an extravagant appearance simply cannot do without the appearance of original nicknames. In America, for the catalpa, thanks to the original shape of the fruit, alternative names were fixed - "Indian bean tree" and "cigar tree".
This tree also has completely unexpected names. The fact is that a butterfly lives in the United States that feeds on the large foliage of a plant and is even named after him - Ceratomia catalpae. Caterpillars of this insect are an excellent bait for fishing, especially catfish, in connection with which local fishermen nicknamed the catalpa "worm tree" or "bait tree" and willingly grow the plant in their plots not only for beauty, but also for collecting a catchy bait ...
In the northwestern United States, where catalpa is widespread, residents, exploring new territories, actively used its wood for the manufacture of sleepers, fences and telegraph poles. The plant contains natural fungicides, due to which boards made of this material hardly rot. However, catalpa has not earned much popularity in the joinery industry, possibly due to the stable curvature of the trunk and branches. But in the crown of this spreading tree flocks of birds like to rest, finding excellent protection from rain and wind under wide leaves.
Catalpa adorns the boulevards and embankments of most Russian cities on the Black Sea coast with its lush greenery, and in our country it is strongly associated with the resort. Everyone who has traveled south remembers how nice it is to hide from the scorching sun in the shade of a spreading tree with funny pods and sit on a bench admiring the endless sea.
The genus catalpa (lat. Catalpa), according to the existing classification, belongs to the bignonium family (lat. Bignoniaceae) and has about a dozen species of trees. In the wild, catalps are found in North America, Eurasia, Western India, China and Japan.
[!] It was found that the catalpa is a relict species. Fossil wood samples of this species were found in layers belonging to the Miocene, during excavations on the territory of the Yellowstone Reserve.
Today, cultivated catalpa species are very widespread. Through the efforts of man, the heat-loving culture is planted and takes root well even in countries with a temperate climate.
The plant can be identified by a number of characteristic features:
Caring for plants at home
The name of this tree is not very familiar to anyone, but it itself is known to many who have been to the southern regions of our country, on the Black Sea coast. Many people recognize the catalpa by the photo, as well as by its popular name - summer chestnut. In the Caucasus and Crimea, catalpa grows and blooms in abundance, although it appeared on European soil relatively recently. At the end of June, or even in the second half of summer, when all the trees have long faded, the summer chestnut is covered with abundant color, and then it is absolutely impossible not to notice it. In America, which, along with China and Japan, is the homeland of its habitat, it has long been called the tree of happiness, bringing joy, healing benefits and faith in a bright future.
Planting seedlings in open ground
The optimal timing for planting catalpa falls in the spring. Photos and descriptions will allow you to get to know the exotic tree better. Sometimes planting work is carried out in the fall.
Catalpa makes high demands on the place of growth. It is best if the site is located on the sunny side, but at the same time it must be protected from drafts.
As soon as the site is selected, you can start planting work. To do this, do the following:
- dig a deep hole;
- put bushes;
- sprinkle the roots with earth;
- tamp everything and water.
The landing is complete. It remains only to properly care for the plants. If all procedures are carried out on time, an exotic tree will delight you with lush flowering.
How to grow catalpa from seeds
The simplest and therefore the most popular way to propagate catalpa, like many other horticultural crops, is cuttings. But reproduction by seeds is also possible, it just requires a little more time and attention from you.
Note! Catalpa seeds do not require special preparation and processing before planting due to the fact that they ripen under the protection of the pod shell.
The dense pod shell protects catalpa seeds well
Landing can be carried out:
- in spring, preferably in late February or early March, with preliminary soaking of seeds in warm water for 8-12 hours;
- in the fall, in the second half of September - early October, without soaking before.
For sowing, universal purchased soil is suitable. It will be most convenient to plant seeds in long rectangular containers in which we usually grow seedlings. You can buy them in the store or make your own from planks. But you can get by with ordinary pots.
- Place the container with crops in a room with good lighting without direct sunlight. A window sill on the west or southwest side works well. It is also important to maintain the temperature regime between 20-22 ° C and regular ventilation in the room where the catalpa seeds are germinating. Water your plantings every time you notice that the soil is dry. It is better to water more often (2-3 times a week) with less water, especially if the air in the room is dry.
- Pour the soil into a container, moisten it. Make grooves so that there is a distance of 6-8 cm between them. If the planting container is narrow, it is better to leave one groove. Place the seeds in the groove 5 cm apart and cover them with soil. On top, lay a suitable piece of glass or stretch plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect.
- In one season, the seeds will germinate and turn into high-quality seedlings suitable for planting in open ground. Landing should be done in the spring, in the second half of May - at this time, warm weather is already setting, and the risks of late frosts are significantly reduced.
With proper care, you will get strong, healthy seedlings from the seeds.
