Catalpa speciosa, commonly called northern catalpa, is a medium to large, deciduous tree with an irregular, open-rounded to narrow-oval crown. Foliage turns an undistinguished yellow in fall. Flowers can be a real showstopper, however. Bell-shaped, orchid-like white flowers (to 2” long) with purple and yellow inner spotting appear in panicles in late spring. Flowers give way to long slender green seedpods long The seedpods mature in fall to dark brown and then split open lengthwise to release the seeds within.