Ponderosa Pine vs Northern Catalpa (Cigar Tree) - TreeTime.ca

Ponderosa Pine vs Northern Catalpa (Cigar Tree)

Pinus ponderosa

Catalpa speciosa

Ponderosa Pine
Northern Catalpa (Cigar Tree)

Ponderosa Pine is the tallest known pine in North America. This popular evergreen has distinctive, textured bark and long needles.

This makes it an excellent ornamental tree for landscaping on large properties. Ponderosa Pine is hardy in a variety of soil 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.

Ponderosa Pine Quick Facts

Northern Catalpa (Cigar Tree) Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $2.29 - SAVE UP TO 67%
Lowest Price: $4.99 - SAVE UP TO 62%
Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 30 m (98 ft)
Height: 15 m (50 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Flowers: white
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: long
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: low




Other Names: big pine, black jack pine, bull pine, heavy pine, ponderosa white pine, sierra brownbark pine, western longleaf pine, western pitch pine, western red pine, western yellow pine, yellow pine
Other Names: cigar tree, hardy catalpa, western catalpa