Catalpa, commonly called catalpa or catawba, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to warm temperate and subtropical regions of North America, the Caribbean, and East Asia.
Most Catalpa are deciduous trees; they typically grow to 12â18 metres (40â60 ft) tall, with branches spreading to a diameter of about 6â12 metres (20â40 ft). They are fast growers and a 10-year-old sapling may stand about 6 metres (20 ft) tall. They have characteristic large, heart-shaped leaves, which in some species are three-lobed. The large leaves and dense foliage of Catalpa species provide good shelter from rain and wind, making the trees an attractive habitat for many species of birds. They do not present many threats of falling limbs, but the dark-brown fruit husks that they drop in late summer may be a nuisance. Growing catalpa trees is easy but they have the tendency to naturalize in areas where the tree isnât native. This potentially invasive potential is more common in border states around the plantâs natural range.