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Catalpa ovata

Common name:	Chinese Catalpa	Family:	Bignoniaceae
Author:	G.Don.	Botanical references:	11, 109, 200
Synonyms:	Catalpa kaempferi (Siebold.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - C. China.
Habitat:	Open country and margins of woods to 2500 metres[109].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Arnoglossum ovatum[B,P] Cacalia elliottii[B,P] Cacalia lanceolata[B,P] Cacalia lanceolata var. elliottii[B,P] Cacalia lanceolata var. virescens[B,P] Cacalia ovata[B,,P] Mesadenia elliottii[B,P] Mesadenia lanceolata[B,P] Mesadenia lanceolata var. virescens[B,P] Mesadenia maxima[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Chinese Catalpa [P,B], Egg-leaf Indian-plantain [B], Ki-Sasage [E], Ovateleaf Cacalia [P], Tzu [E], Yellow Catalpa [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	ovata = oval
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Scrophulariales. Trumpet-creeper family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China Japan

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 10m. It is hardy to zone 5 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen in October. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

Flowers Seedpod.

Flowers and young pods - cooked[183]. They are boiled and washed[179]. (possibly in that order so as to remove any bitterness[K])

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Diuretic.

The stems are diuretic (strongly)[174, 218].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a good moist loamy soil and a sunny position that is not exposed[1, 11]. Tolerates heavy clay soils. Very resistant to atmospheric pollution[188].
Plants are hardy to about -15° c, probably more in continental climates[200], they grow best in areas with hot summers[188]. Protect plants from late frosts when they are young[200].
Transplants easily[200].
The flowers are very fragrant[245]. The bruised foliage has an aromatic fragrance[245].
The flowers are considered to be one of the best bee plants in Japan[245].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown outdoors, or in a cold frame, as soon as it is ripe[200]. Stratify stored seed for 3 weeks at 1° c and sow in spring[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Softwood cuttings, 10cm long, in a frame. They should be taken in late spring to early summer before the leaves are fully developed[200].
Root cuttings in winter[200].

Scent

Leaves: Crushed: The bruised leaves have an aromatic fragrance.
Flowers: Fresh: The flowers are very fragrant.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Arnoglossum ovatum (a possible synonym).

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Catalpa kaempferi (a possible synonym).

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for the family Bignoniaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[109] Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.
Details of the palnts collected by the plant collector E. H. Wilson on his travels in China. Gives some habitats. Not for the casual reader.

[174] Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
A good Japanese herbal.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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