Hardy Banana vs Northern Catalpa (Cigar Tree)

The Hardy Banana is a fast-growing evergreen perennial that dies down to the ground each year. A stunning tropical-looking accent for your yard and patio, the Japanese Fiber Banana can be overwintered outdoors in several northern U.S. states and southern Canadian regions. In northern regions, you can bring this plant inside and leave it in your garage. If you enjoy Mexican cuisine, you can use the leaves to make tamales.

Northern Catalpa is a striking feature tree with showy flowers, and very large leaves. Its orchid-like flowers are white with yellow and purple accents, and they have a pleasant fragrance. They bloom from late spring to early summer and can last up to two weeks, attracting hummingbirds and pollinators. The leaves are very large, ranging from 15-30 cm long, 12-20 cm wide, forming a canopy that makes it a good shade tree.

They can tolerate dry conditions as well as standing water, air pollution, and salt. These factors and its beauty contribute to its growing popularity as both a boulevard and ornamental tree in colder areas.

Northern Catalpa produces long bean-like capsules and are sometimes called the Cigar Tree in reference to this fruit.

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