Who knew! The tree that bears the world’s largest green beans also has some really pretty flowers.
What are Catalpa Trees?
Obviously they’re not green beans, but the Northern catalpa tree does grow seed-filled pods up to a foot long that look like beans (although apparently in some places they’re called cigar trees because of the pods). But that’s only after their showy white flowers have had their season, which is about to wrap up now.
For a bit longer, though, you can see Northern catalpas covered in blossoms. As their name suggests, most of their relatives are tropical or subtropical plants. This is why you only find them in select U.S. places, although some have been found as far north as Alaska.
The trees themselves can reach 90 feet or taller, with large, dark green, heart-shaped leaves. When they’re blooming, they’re elegant, a little whimsical, and always ready to surprise you around the corner.
A West End catalpa in bloom. (Blake Hunter / City Cast Boise)
Where to See Them in Boise
As pretty as they are, you might prefer to have a catalpa in your neighbor’s yard, not your own: the flowers are falling right now, leaves fall in the autumn, and the seedpods litter the ground in the winter.
Two of the best neighborhoods for seeing catalpas are Collister and the West End. Explore Collister’s greenhouses or bars before taking a walk through the neighborhood, or grab a milkshake from Westside Drive-In to tour the area.
If you want to visit a park with catalpa trees, Kathryn Albertsons Park is the place to go.
