Catalpa ovata 'Slender Silhouette'
A narrow, columnar, upright growing tree, with dense foliage and pale green, often three-lobed leaves, 25cm (10in) long. In summer it bears upright stalks of cream-white flowers with purple and orange markings followed by slender hanging pods. This cultivar is reportedly variable in habit.
Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
4–8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Cream Purple Orange | Green | ||
| Autumn | Yellow Green | Green | ||
| Winter | Brown Black |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Bignoniaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Catalpa are deciduous trees of spreading habit, with handsome, large leaves and erect panicles of showy, bell-shaped flowers in late summer, followed by persistent, slender bean-like seed capsules
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in any reasonably fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Shelter from strong winds. Provide young plants with protection from frost in very cold weather
Propagation
Propagate by seed (tree/shrub) sown in a seedbed or containers in an open cold frame in autumn. Propagate by softwood cuttings in late spring or summer, or by root cuttings in winter.
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Architectural
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Sub-tropical
- Low Maintenance
Pruning
Pruning group 1, or pruning group 7 for pollarding
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to verticillium wilt and rarely, honey fungus
Get involved
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