Catalpa speciosa - Western Catalpa

Very coarse textured tree, often with a broad, round headed canopy at maturity. This species is taller than C. bignonioides.
Huge (6-12") cordate leaves.
Creamy white campanulate (bell-shaped) flowers with yellow and brown/purple markings. Inflorescences are smaller than in C. bignonioides.
Showy seed capsules resemble vanilla beans. Capsules are larger than in C. bignonioides.
Bark is thin grayish brown, becoing fissured with flat scaly ridges.

Catalpa bignonioides - Common Catalpa

Catalpa bignonioides: Catalpa is the North American Indian name for plants of this genus; bignonioides refers to the species' resemblance to Bignonia, the trumpet creeper.

Coarse textured, round-headed tree gives a tropical effect. Smaller than C. speciosa.
Enormous cordate (heart-shaped) leaves can be up to 13" long! Leaves have a vegetable scent when crushed.
Showy white salverform flowers with purple/brown/yellow spots in 7-8" racemes.
Cigar-shaped seed capsules in summer/fall. Compare to narrower seed capsules of C. speciosa.

Jacaranda mimosifolia - Jacaranda