Catalpa ovata

Yellow catalpa, Japanese catalpa or Chinese Catalpa is in the bignonia or Bignoniaceae family and is native to forested areas in western China. It can reach a height of up to 9 m.

• Leaves are up to 25 cm long, opposite (or sometimes in whorls of 3), broadly ovate, occasionally 3–5 lobed, straight or heart-shaped at the base, abruptly tapering to a point, on up to a 10 cm-long stock. Foliage turns yellow in the fall.
• Flowers are bell-shaped, orchid-like, yellowish-white, up to 2.1 cm long, with purple and orange inner spotting; they appear in panicles to 25 cm long in late spring.
• Fruit is a long, gray-brown, thin hanging bean pod up to 38 cm long.
• The winter twigs of the catalpas have sunken leaf scars that resemble suction cups.