Noun

1. Any tree of the genus Catalpa, family Bignoniaceae. The two North American species, southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and northern catalpa. Catalpa speciosa, along with the yellow catalpa, Catalpa ovata from China are often planted as ornamentals because of their showy flowers and decorative bean pods, though many regard the bean pods as a nuisance, and consequently class them as a trash species.