The Southern Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) is a medium-sized (25-40ft), fast-growing deciduous tree valued for its large heart-shaped leaves, fragrant white flowers, and long seed pods, thriving in sunny, well-drained soils.

Flowers attract pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Exclusive larval host for the catalpa sphinx moth, producing the “catawba worm” caterpillar which is great for fishing!

• Seeds grow in long, slender pods up to 15–18 inches, often called cigar pods, ripening brown in fall and dispersed by wind. These pods contribute to the tree's nickname, “cigar tree”. Pods and seeds have traditional medical uses but not typically consumed.