Catalpa sp.
Southern catalpa, Southern Catalpa
(c) Sandy Wolkenberg, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sandy Wolkenberg · licence
Family: Bignoniaceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Catalpa sp. (Southern catalpa) is a non-native California tree in the Bignoniaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Catalpa sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Catalpa sp. belong to?
Catalpa sp. is in the Bignoniaceae family, genus Catalpa.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.