Common catalpa , also known asbignon catalpa(Catalpa bignonioides), due to decorative leaves, flowers and fruits, and high durability for drought and pollution, it is eagerly planted in urban areas. See whatcultivating catalpa in the garden looks likeWe suggest whichvarieties of catalpaare worth planting, as well as how to dopruning catalpaso that it has a nice habit and impresses with a beautiful tree crown!
Catalpa, bignonium catalpa - Catalpa bignonioides 'Nana'
Fig. depositphotos.com
What does an ordinary catalpa look like?
Common catalpacomes from warmer regions of the USA but is now cultivated in many countries around the world, especially those with milder climates. The decorative appearance of the tree is emphasized by the short, often crooked trunk covered with cracked, scaly bark and the lush and spreading crown of the tree.Leaves of catalpaare large (up to 25 cm long), heart-shaped.
Exoticflowers of bignonium catalparesemble orchid flowers - they are white with a purple and yellow pattern in the center. Collected in loose, raised inflorescences, they appear in July and August. The beginning of catalpa flowering in western Poland may begin up to two weeks earlier than in the east of the country. Long bean-shaped fruits remain on the tree for the winter and adorn it until spring. The catalpa scent repels mosquitoes and ticks.
Catalpa, bignonium catalpa - fruit resembling bean pods can be seen on the tree
Fig. pixabay.com
Katalpa on the trunk
Currentlythe most frequently searched for catalpa on the trunkThese are varieties of catalpa grafted on a trunk with a certain height (usually 1.5 or 2 m). Thanks to this, the plant takes the form of an attractive tree with a wide, domed crown. It also allows you to adjust the height of the plants, because the trunk after inoculation no longer grows in height, but only in thickness. Thanks to this, the growth of the plant takes place only through the development of the tree crown, which can be shaped by appropriatecutting the catalpa on the trunk
Catalpa on the trunk may initially look quite ricketyas a tree with a lean, tall trunk and a small crown. Such plants must be planted near the stakes so that the trunk is not damaged by stronger gusts of wind, and also to prevent damage to the tree roots. Within 2-3 years after planting, the catalpa root system on the trunk will strengthen, the trunk will thicken, and the tree's crown will expand, taking on a characteristic semicircular shape.
Catalpa, Bognonia catalpa 'Nana'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Astrunk grafted catalpathe most commonly sold variety of common catalpa 'Nana', which does not grow too large and forms a neat, hemispherical tree crown. More details of this type of catalpa are described below.
Where to plant catalpa?
As a large, extremely decorative plantcommon catalpa is often plantedas a single, well-exposed tree, i.e. solitaire. In regions with milder climates,lines of Bignonia catalpa are also plantedAs a plant resistant to pollution, catalpa is perfect for urban areas.
Widely growing catalpa crowncauses a lot of shade, so the ground under the tree can only be covered by undemanding ground cover plants or creepers, such as: ivy, periwinkle, marsh grasshopper, grasshopper, common grasshopper, hoof moth, sorrel or yellow grouse.
Common catalpa during flowering
Fig. pixabay.com
Common Catalpa - varieties
The most famous are twovarieties of bignonium :
Common catalpa 'Nana'- it is a dwarf variety, grafted on a trunk, growing up to 3-5 m in height. This slow-growing tree with a hemispherical crown is especially recommended for small gardens and for planting streets and parking lots. Large, green, heart-shaped leaves are the only decoration of this plant, as it does not form flowers. This variety of catalpa can grow in both sunny and semi-shaded positions.
Common Catalpa 'Aurea'- is a large tree that grows up to 10 m high and 5 m wide. It has a wide, rounded crown. Young leaves are light yellow in color, while older leaves are yellow-green. The tree is decorated with white flowers with purple and orange spots inside, gathered in loose, paniculate inflorescences up to 30 cm long.It blooms in July, and the fruit in the form of long pods appear in October and remain on the tree until spring. Young plants are sensitive to frost. Due to the size of the crown,the variety of the catalpa 'Aurea'is recommended for large gardens and urban green areas, as a strong color accent. It is worth planting only in sunny places.
Catalpa, Bognonia catalpa 'Aurea'
Fig. Wouter Hagens, public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Common catalpa - cultivation
Katalpa comes from regions with a mild climate , so it requires a warm and sunny position. Due to its fragile branches, it is recommended to plant it in positions sheltered from the wind. It grows best in fertile, permeable and sufficiently moist soils with a slightly acidic to alkaline pH (pH 7.0-8.0). Bigonia catalpa does not tolerate heavy and compacted soils. She also does not tolerate overdoing it.
The hardiness zone of USDA plants assigned to the catalpa bignon is 6B. For this reasonplanting catalpa in the coldest regions of Poland should be avoidedYoung plants are not too resistant to freezing temperatures, so it is worth covering them for winter with agrotextile or straw, and a mound of garden bark around the trunk or compost.
Catalpa seedlings bought in acontainer can be planted virtually all year round, but due to humidity the best period is spring or autumn. Planted in summer, they take on less well and require regular watering. Plants should not be planted or transplanted during frost.
To fertilize catalpawe can use compost (in March or October), multi-component fertilizers (spring or summer), biohumus, and additionally in autumn, the so-called fall fertilizers rich in potassium and magnesium, which will immunize the plant against low temperatures and help it survive the winter.
Common Catalpa - cut
Cutting bigonium catalpa is a very important operation , significantly influencing the appearance of the tree. The plant can be pruned quite hard without fear, because it quickly sprouts new shoots and thickens nicely.Cutting catalpa is best done in spring , but after a very harsh winter, it is worth waiting until May before cutting the branches, until leaf buds appear on the twigs. Then it is easier to judge which twigs are frozen and need to be cut.
Catalpa fruits resemble bean pods
Fig. pixabay.com
The crown of the tree is not too lush at the beginning, so in the first years of swe cut the branches in half so that the catalpa thickens nicelyWe also shorten all excessively bulging shoots to keep the desired one, the spherical shape of the crown.
In early spring, it is also necessary to makesanitary cutting of the catalpaSo remove all sick, withered or frozen shoots that are cut over the first he althy bud.
How to become confident in pruning plants?
If you are unsure how to cut or simply afraid to do it, the fantastic book "Cutting School" will help you. Thanks to it, you will gain confidence in pruning plants and learn to cut plants so that they grow according to your expectations. After reading this book, your approach to pruning plants will probably change completely!
