I grew this Northern Catalpa from a cutting about 4 years ago. This spring the top 7- 8 inches (last years growth) see the picture, started to bud out but died. There were plenty of shoots below that and I let the top one grow. It has now grown 4 feet from that point. The trunk is =BE" thick below the new shoot and above. I'm afraid now that it has grown too fast (soft) and might now survive an Eastern Ontario winter. Last year I removed all but 3 levels of leaves as it grew (there are always 3 at each level). I'm not doing that this year because I have the feeling that the top did not survive because I forced it. Does anybody have any experience with this tree?
Catalpa growing too fast?
Aug 02, 2005
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catalpas are notoriously brittle-branched in youth - they grow very very fast in most climates and are susceptible to breakage in wind or rain storms and in ice storms or heavy wet snow in winter. However, in spite of this, they are one of the more long-lived healthy trees from…
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I grew this Northern Catalpa from a cutting about 4 years ago. This spring the top 7- 8 inches (last years growth) see the picture, started to bud out but died. There were plenty of shoots below that and I let the top one grow. It has now grown 4 feet from that point. The trunk is ¾" thick below the new shoot and above. I'm afraid now that it has grown too fast (soft) and might now survive an Eastern Ontario winter. Last year I removed all but 3 levels of leaves as it grew (there are always 3 at each level). I'm not doing that this year because I have the feeling that the top did not survive because I forced it. Does anybody have any experience with this tree?
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