Common Name: chitalpa
Type: Tree
Family: Bignoniaceae
Native Range: Garden origin
Zone: 6 to 9
Height: 20.00 to 35.00 feet
Spread: 20.00 to 35.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to August
Bloom Description: Pink to white
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Shade Tree
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought
Culture
Best grown in deep, moderately fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Although drought tolerant, trees generally perform best with consistent and even moisture. Trees may sucker at the base. Propagate by cuttings. This hybrid will not produce viable seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics
× Chitalpa tashkentensis is a rapid-growing, deciduous tree that typically grows to 20-35' tall with a dense, spreading, oval crown. It is an inter-generic hybrid cross between desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) and southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonoides). It was first hybridized in Tashkent (capital of Uzbekistan) in the 1960s and subsequently brought to the U.S. in 1977. Lanceolate leaves (to 6" long) are dull green above, fuzzy underneath, and taper at both ends. Bell-shaped, pink to white, catalpa-like flowers (to 1" across) bloom in upright racemes (15-40 flowers per raceme) at the branch ends in summer. Popular cultivars include 'Pink Dawn' (pink flowers) and 'Morning Cloud' (pale pink to white flowers).
The intergeneric name Chitalpa is a combination of the genus names Catalpa and Chilopsis.
The specific epithet is in reference to the city of Tashkent where this tree was hybridized.
Problems
Powdery mildew can be a significant problem in growing areas with high summer humidity (e.g., the southeastern U. S.) and in growing conditions where trees are planted in too much shade. Additional disease problems include verticillium wilt, root rot and leaf spots. Watch for aphids, mealybugs, scale and whiteflies.
Uses
Interesting medium-sized landscape or street tree with a long summer flowering period. Best planted in sheltered locations in the St. Louis area.