Hello, BM! I've now read up on the Catalpa and it sounds and looks wonderful. However, coming from the Mississippi basin and liking moist soil doesn't sound like the ideal specimen for my dry conditions. Shame.
I've got one in my garden that I prune hard back each year, obviously I dont get any flowers but the leaves are massive. Not really sure how well it would do in Portugal, but I've never watered it, then I am on clay.
I'm on rock ... believe it or not in the middle of the orchards! It's a big problem with us and we have to use a pick-axe to dig holes for shrubs / trees ... it ain't easy going here at times I can tell you! Because of the rock I've run out of planting plots, and with the summer coming no planting in general, but I did buy a Penta (red) yesterday but it's to live in a pot in the "dining area".
You could also try Paulownia tomentosa, i have 2 and keep them in trim. Are a better tree than the catalpa which can be quite brittle and prone to weakness. They are also deep rooted and not a foundation rocker. http://www.dragontrees.com/dragonhi.html http://www.paulowniatrees.org/photos.htm You can grow it or crop it to your hearts content. BM I started writing this post after the football and then forgot what I was doing and went and washed the car. Just realised the computer was still on so I thought I had better finish the post. :D Paulownia tomentosa
Yes, I do know it? Does yours bloom with those lovely lilac flowers (rather like Jacaranda), BM? Only problem is I'm out of "ground space" and am now doing things in pots, dotted them around the various "rooms". Not sure if a Paulownia would work as it is deep rooted. What do you think?
I would want to put it in the ground. It hasn't flowered yet but I do prune it to encourage huge leaves, so im not sure it will ?
I grew one for a while and cut it off near ground level each year, another one you can do the same thing with is ailanthus altissima. Bead tree has good foliage, melia azendarach, frost killed mine last winter, or Kentucky coffee tree, gymnocladus dioicus. Prune them back, and the foliage gets bigger.
the other tree that I think of in connection with the Pawlonia and Catalpa is the Liriodendron tulipifera. Any use to you? http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=liriodendron+tulipifera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&sa=N&tab=wi
That's nice, but I'd prefer an Albizia or A Bauhinia purpuea (orchid tree) which grows well here. Only problem is it would have to be in a pot. Having an evening drink this eve, we are wondering if we have room as we plan to build a rustic carport this autumn and have lots of clibming thingies on it so maybe a tree is shelved?!
Bauhinia, tried that once, dont think it likes pots. Go for a bouganvillea over your carport, wish I could. :D
Have six Bougies already, all different colours, including a shrub one (non climber); fancy grapes, Passifloras and ???? over the carport. Still would like a Bauhinia .. but ...
LOL Bauhinia purpurea (which I also know as the Butterfly tree) will grow happily in a pot, providing it's large enough ...(say 14 litres) well drained and fed .......they like heat be just right in your sunshine ....BTW there are LOTS of Catalpas around us they seem to survive all the weather that is thrown at them .....if you can give it some water from time to time it should be fine ..... go on treat yourself !! M-L PS The Albizias here are spectacular this year!
