Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND®
Catalpa speciosa
Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND® (Catalpa speciosa) is a tree suited to the Colorado Front Range, rated "Recommended" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List. It matures to about 40–60 ft tall and 20–40 ft wide, and needs low to medium water. Big leaves shred in hail; brittle wood breaks in wind and heavy snow. Plant where summer storms are buffered and away from structures.
low to medium water40–60 ft tall and 20–40 ft wideXeric / water-wiseDeer-resistant
Photos
At a glance
- Rating
- Recommended
- Botanical name
- Catalpa speciosa
- Variety / cultivar
- Northern/Western, HEARTLAND®
- Type
- Tree
- Mature size
- 40–60 ft tall and 20–40 ft wide
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- clay, loam, sandy
- Soil pH
- 6.0–8.2
- Hail tolerance
- low
- Wind tolerance
- low
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Bloom color
- white, yellow, purple
- Bloom time
- early summer
- Good for
- south wall
Site factors to consider
- Watch: Short Lived
Planting & establishment
Water deeply every 7–10 days through the first 2 summers. Winter water 1–2×/month October–March when soil is dry and unfrozen — winter desiccation is a top killer of newly-planted trees. Year 3: taper to 2×/month in summer, then rely on natural precipitation.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND® good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes. Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND® is included in the Front Range Plant Finder as a tree suited to Colorado's Front Range, rated "Recommended" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List.
- How big does Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND® get?
- It matures to about 40–60 ft tall and 20–40 ft wide.
- How much water does Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND® need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- Is Catalpa — Northern/Western, HEARTLAND® native to Colorado?
- No — it is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
