Twigs are olive brown in color, pubescent, stout, and heavily lenticeled. Pith is chambered or sometimes hollow. Catalpa has similar foliage but has continuous pith. Flower buds are borne in terminal panicles and are conspicuous through the winter. The flower buds make an excellent identification feature.
Flowers are purple and fragrant.
The flowers are carried against the foliage as a backdrop and are quite attractive in summer. More recently, this tree has become a timber-crop plant and is being raised on plantations. This is one of the most valuable timber species in the United States despite the fact that the wood is not used in this country. It is the preferred wood for oriental lacquer ware. Population pressure prevents it from being grown in its former range.