Description
Catalpa (scientific name: Catalpa ovata G. Don) is a plant of Catalpa genus Bignoniaceae, tree, up to 15 meters high; canopy umbrella-shaped, trunk straight, opposite leaves, sometimes whorls, broad ovoid, nearly equal in length and width , Apex acuminate, base heart-shaped, entire or shallow wavy, leaves are rough on and underneath, slightly pilose, long petiole. The panicles are terminal; the calyx buds are spherical, the corolla is bell-shaped, light yellow, the filaments are inserted on the corolla tube, and the anthers are bifurcated; the style is filamentous, the capsule is linear, pendent, the seeds are oblong, and the ends are flat and long hair.
Distributed in the Yangtze River basin and north of China; also distributed in Japan. It is mostly cultivated near villages and on both sides of roads, and the wild ones are no longer visible. Catalpa tree likes light, and its seedlings are shade-tolerant. It likes a warm and humid climate, has a certain degree of cold resistance, and can withstand -20℃ low temperature in winter. Deep-rooted, like deep, moist, fertile, loose neutral soil, slightly acid soil and mild saline-alkaline soil can also grow.
Catalpa grows very fast in the right place. It is full of white flowers in spring and hangs like beans in autumn and winter. The white wood is slightly softer and can be used for furniture. The bottom of the piano is made, and the young leaves are edible; the leaves or bark can be used as pesticides, which can kill rice borers and rice planthoppers; the fruit (catalpa) is used as a medicine, and can be used as a diuretic to treat kidney diseases, kidney qi cystitis, and liver cirrhosis. ascites. Root bark (Zubai) can also be used as medicine to reduce swelling and poison, and decoction and wash for external use to treat scabies. The Compendium of Materia Medica says: Zibaipi, bitter cold and non-toxic.
