The Catalpa is not native to Iowa. It was introduced as an ornamental tree because of its large, showy flowers. After the flowers bloom, long, cylindrical pods filled with small winged seeds form. This distinctive fruit hangs on the trees all winter. The leaves are 8 to 12 inches long and heart-shaped.
Leaves are thick and firm, dark green above and downy beneath.
The pod hangs on the tree all winter and opens in the spring before falling off. Catalpas grow rapidly. The trunks are short, often crooked, supporting a broad, rounded crown of slender, spreading branches and thick twigs. The bark is thick, reddish brown, with scaly, longitudinal ridges.