Catalpa speciosa aka Northern Catalpa

Catalpa speciosa, also known as the northern catalpa, hardy catalpa, western catalpa, cigar tree, catawba-tree, or bois chavanon, is a medium-sized deciduous tree that is native to the midwestern and southern regions of the United States. The tree typically grows up to 15-30 meters tall and 12 meters wide, with a trunk diameter of up to 1 meter. Its brown to gray bark matures into hard plates or ridges. The leaves of Catalpa speciosa are heart-shaped, large, opposite or whorled, and can grow up to 20-30 cm in length and 15-20 cm in width. They are pointed at the tip and softly hairy underneath. In the autumn, the leaves either fall abruptly after the first hard freeze or turn a slightly yellow-brown before dropping off. The catalpa tree is the last tree to grow leaves in the spring. The flowers of Catalpa speciosa are white with yellow stripes and purple spots inside, and they grow in panicles of 10-30. The flowers are 3-6 cm across and trumpet-shaped. The tree blooms in the late spring to early summer, and the flowers are very showy. The fruit of Catalpa speciosa is a long, thin legume-like capsule that is 20-40 cm long and 10-12 mm in diameter. It often stays attached to the tree during winter and can be mistaken for brown icicles. The pod contains numerous flat, light brown seeds with two papery wings. Catalpa speciosa is closely related to the southern catalpa, with the main difference being that the former bears a smaller number of larger flowers in its flowering panicles and slightly broader seed pods. The tree is easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade and is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, including both wet and dry soils. It prefers moist fertile loams and is tolerant of seasonal flooding.