Hi, folks, This curious bush is growing in the little parklet just by my house: not sure what it is, and it's not in the Forest Plants of Central Ontario book I have, nor can I find it in any of the databases I know about online. Anyone got any idea what it is? It's a huge shrub (around 15 feet tall, about ten to twelve feet through the centre) that's growing out of and around a large stump of a cut-down basswood or maybe chestnut tree in the parklet. The leaves are heart-shaped and similar to those of a chestnut tree in size and shape. The flowers are what got my attention: they are clusters of small to medium sized things, iris-like in shape, with brilliant white background and striped purple colouring, fragrance reminiscent of lavender mixed with lemon and jasmine. Pictures attached. Am now dying of curiousity! Leah M.
Thanks a million, Pierrot -- from the foliage, I had turned up catalpa in my researches, but never saw the flowers before, and I hadn't seen the fruit on this specimen yet either, which I recognize from seeing it before. Wow, it's quite gorgeous! Gonna see if I can get a cutting or something and propagate that... Leah M.
There is a good chance that the stump you are refering to is actually the Catalpa stump with suckers now growing out from around it. They are large trees when mature. The largest I know of in Ontario is a street tree in Aurora...~3' diameter & 70' tall. Simon
Wow, they must be HUGE when they're old: that stump is a good five feet across, and almost that tall. Anyone know how to propagate these things? Do you start with seeds from the "beans" or cuttings? Leah M.
Seed is probably the easiest propagation method but they are not all that expensive to buy at a nursery either. Try Connon's in Trenton, they will have Catalpa for sure. At their 50% off sale in September (I make my annual pilgramge), you should be able to get one for sub $100 for a 7'+ tree. Simon
Thanks, Simon, I didn't know Connan's had an annual event like that -- they are one of my all-time favourite places to browse, so I will definitely check out the September sales there! Meantime, being on a fixed income, I will try to get some seedlings out of the fruit on this one in the parklet as well! Leah M.
