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Showy Mountain Ash vs Northern Catalpa (Cigar Tree)
Sorbus decora
Catalpa speciosa
Showy Mountain Ash is a hardy accent tree. It features pretty clusters of white flowers in spring followed by bright scarlet berries lasting into winter.
Great for small landscapes, Showy Mountain Ash is adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and it is suitable for average home landscape conditions.
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.