What is catalpa (catalpa and its introduction)

In the Yangtze River valley and the north of China, catalpa bungeana is usually planted around villages and on both sides of roads. It is characterized by deciduous trees with yellow-white flowers, two yellow lines and purple spots on the inner side of the corolla throat, wide oval leaves, usually three cleft at the top, and rough and nearly hairless leaves on both sides. People often call it Sorbus bungeana or Sorbus pohuashanensis, which has timber, ornamental and medicinal value. Today I will talk about some things about this plant.

1. Botanical characteristics of Catalpa bungeana

1, name and classification status

Catalpa is a customary name, and its official middle name is catalpa. The name catalpa comes from Textual Research of Materia Medica and is recognized as the official middle name in Flora of China. Alias was recorded as catalpa in longbian; It is recorded as Platanus acerifolia in the Northeast Plant Key Table. It is recorded as Sorbus pohuashanensis, Pittosporum and Fraxinus mandshurica in the Economic Flora of Henan Province. It is recorded as Sorbus pohuashanensis in Yunnan. It is recorded as cajanus cajan in the Flora of Medicinal Plants in Hangzhou. Some places are also called water catalpa, fire catalpa, chopsticks tree, lightning wood, hawthorn and so on; In plant taxonomy, it belongs to deciduous tree species of catalpa in Osmundaceae.

2. Distribution and growth environment

Catalpa is mainly distributed in three northeastern provinces, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong and other provinces. Most of them are cultivated near villages and on both sides of highways, which are invisible to wild people.

3. Appearance characteristics

First, deciduous trees, as high as 15 meters, with umbrella-shaped crown, straight trunk and sparsely hairy shoots.

Second, the single leaf is opposite or nearly opposite, sometimes it is whorled, the leaf width is oval, the length and width are about 25 cm, the base is heart-shaped, the leaf margin is completely or shallowly wavy, usually 3-lobed, the leaves are rough on both sides, the base has 5-7 palmate veins, 4-6 pairs of lateral veins, and the petiole is about 10 cm long.

The third is the terminal spike, which is 10-30 cm long. The calyx bud is spherical, 2-lipped, the corolla is bell-shaped, pale yellow, with 2 yellow stripes and purple spots on the inside, about 2 cm in diameter, and it blooms in May and June.

Capsule thin cylindrical, 20-30 cm long, about 8 mm thick, pendulous, pilose when young,

After maturity, it is 2-lobed, with flat seeds and long hair spreading to both ends.

Fruit ripens in September-165438+1October.

4. Growing habits

Catalpa bungeana is a light-loving tree species, cold-resistant, suitable for warm areas, fond of deep, fertile and moist soil, tolerant to mild saline-alkali, drought and barren, and strong anti-smoking ability; The root system is developed and grows faster. It can be sown and propagated by cutting.

Second, the main uses of catalpa

First, Catalpa bungeana is a good timber tree species. Wide distribution, fast growth, straight wood grain, beautiful patterns and excellent materials, suitable for furniture, interior decoration, architecture, arts and crafts, musical instruments and so on. Because of its good thermal properties, it can also be used as thermal insulation material.

Second, green ornamental trees. Catalpa is dignified, with a broad crown and thick leaves. It has yellow flowers in spring and summer, slender fruits in autumn and winter, and the fruiting period is about half a year. It has certain ornamental value and can be used as street trees, shade trees and shelter forest trees.

Third, the young leaves of catalpa are edible; The phloem of root bark and bark (called catalpa bark) can be used as medicine, which has the functions of clearing away heat and toxic materials and killing insects, and seeds can also be used as diuretics. Please follow the doctor's advice when taking medicine.