Right across the street from my office is the most amazing Catalpa tree. I can smell it in the morning when I get to work.
The flowers are really gorgeous and amazingly plentiful on a fairly small tree.
They are just beautiful bunches of blooms but I wish you could smell them. Almost like lilac but sweeter.
Each flower later becomes a long bean, which is why the catalpa has also been known as the Indian bean tree or cigar tree.Another reason I fancy this tree is because one night when I was little, my mom brought me 2 or 3 beans from a catalpa tree that she found on her way home. She told me they were Jack and the beanstalk's beans. And I believed her!
So that's a Catalpa tree! I have always liked the name - sounds so exotic - but never knew what they looked like. Now I will have to seek one out here in Ottawa and trying smelling it. Sounds delightful and great pics.
ReplyDeleteBignoneaceae Catalpa speciosa...with the last two words underlined or n italics. I always like the Bignoneaceae part...
ReplyDeleteYour Mom had a fine sense of magic.
ReplyDeleteIt is gorgeous. If its similar to the scent of lilacs, then it smells as good as it looks. :-)
ReplyDeleteTo my nose, my northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) smells of vanilla, almond and a touch of mimosa: HEAVEN!
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