Catalpa bignonioides
Southern catalpa
(c) Megan Hansen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Bignoniaceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Catalpa bignonioides (Southern catalpa) is a non-native California tree in the Bignoniaceae family.
Southern catalpa is a naturalized tree found in northern Sierra Nevada Foothills, San Joaquin Valley, and southern California coastal areas, growing along streambanks, roadsides, and railroad embankments at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to June, this tree produces white flowers with purple and yellow markings in showy, large clusters. Growing to 15 meters tall with a spreading, rounded canopy, it features thick, sturdy branches and large, heart-shaped leaves. Its broad, opposite leaves are approximately 15 to 25 centimeters long, light green and somewhat fuzzy, creating dense foliage. The fruit is a distinctive long, narrow pod approximately 35 centimeters in length, less than one centimeter in diameter.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differentiator is fruit diameter < 1 cm vs > 1 cm
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streambanks, roadsides, railroad embankments
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Inyo, Amador, Fresno, Ventura, Butte, Sacramento, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Napa, Los Angeles
Outside California: Oregon to eastern North America
Bloom period
Catalpa bignonioides blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Chilopsis: Catalpa has massive heart-shaped leaves while Chilopsis has narrow willow-like leaves under half an inch wide.; vs Paulownia: Catalpa's white flowers have yellow and purple markings; Paulownia has solid purple tubular flowers.; vs Erythrina: Catalpa has white flowers and heart-shaped leaves; Erythrina has bright red flowers and compound leaves with three leaflets.; vs Cercis: Catalpa flowers are white with spots in upright clusters; Cercis has pink-purple pea flowers blooming directly on branches.; vs Pyrus: Catalpa has very large single heart-shaped leaves; Pyrus has smaller oval leaves arranged alternately along branches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Catalpa bignonioides native to California?
No. Catalpa bignonioides is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Catalpa bignonioides bloom?
Catalpa bignonioides blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Catalpa bignonioides grow?
Catalpa bignonioides occurs in San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Inyo, Amador, Fresno, Ventura, Butte and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Catalpa bignonioides belong to?
Catalpa bignonioides is in the Bignoniaceae family, genus Catalpa.
What habitat does Catalpa bignonioides grow in?
Catalpa bignonioides grows in Streambanks, roadsides, railroad embankments.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.