What sort of tree is this?

[pacuk01]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what this tree is?


http://a8.sphotos.ak....72889_140549679_n.jpg

[boxtops]

I don't think so, rowan, these flowers are much more delicate and flamboyant than that, and they are definitely lilac-coloured.

[pacuk01]

I cant see the leaves on that one boxtops, so I am not sure.

[jan01]

excellent link boxtops...

[rowanwitch]

The main difference is when the leaves appear in relationship to the flowers

Pawlonia flowers on bare stems and Catalpa flowers after the leaves appear. Some catalpas can pink up a bit as the flowers fade

[237SJ]

According to my tree book, the leaves on your picture look exactly the same as the Foxglove Tree.

[pacuk01]

I have posted it on a botanical website. This had white flowers. The leaves are similar in shape to Ivy, but much much larger. Non waxy

[237SJ]

What time of year was it in flower? My book says "It`s a medium sized tree, usually 10-15m high but occasionally more with an open crown. A Chinese tree widely planted in southern Europe and less often north to southern England. Bark - smooth, grey
Leaves - Heart-shaped with a long, tapering point, 30-35cm long and downy on both sides. This gives them a dull green colour and combined with their tendency to hang limply from the branches lends the tree a somewhat weary appearance.
Flowers - large (5cm long) violet-blue with deep tubes and five spreading lobes. They appear in June
That`s the Foxglove Tree by the way.

[boxtops]

That's the one I've seen, 237 - pacuk, your flowers look pale lilac to me!

[freeradical]

Any chance that you can post a picture of its leaf?
It would certainly be easier to id with a good outline.

From what I can see with limited focus I'm guessing lilac.

[boxtops]

If you zoom in on the pic (I'm at 400%) the flowers are too big and individual for lilac. IMO.

[pacuk01]

They are white flowers despite they look lilac in pic. The pic was taken 4 days ago

[freeradical]

I agree.. it certainly looks foxglove-ish!

When I zoom to 400% it doesn't help at all as the leaves are just a green blur!
I guess that I should've gone to specsavers.. ;-)

[pacuk01]

I will try and get some more pics in a couple of days

[237SJ]

Lilac flowers hang down. Chestnut flowers point upwards (as the ones in your pic do). It`s very strange for any tree to be in flower at this time of year. It just doesn`t happen. They`re way past flowering now unless there is a remote chance that the weather has skewed things. Let us know what you find out.

[rowanwitch]

Still sticking with Catalpa as it flowers in July and the paulownia flowers in May

Catalpa is white with foxglove shaped flowers fresher looking leaves Large panicles individual flowers are large too. Also there is one growing just down the road and paulownias in Birmingham town centre

[hammerman]

It an Indian Bean Tree...Catalpa bignonoides.

[hammerman]

Just to back that up, im a head gardener and i have both that and the foxglove tree in my garden at work and it's definately a Catalpa

[pacuk01]

Someone on the Botanical Website for the RHS says the same.

[webbo3]

i just got in from work and was going to post but hammerman had already put the answer, i asked one of the plant people in the garden cente where i work and he said the same thing, he said going by the colour of the leaves its a Catalpa bignonioides "aurea".

http://beautifulgarde...Plant.php?plantid=264


Dave.

[whiskeryron]

nemus bogarius ( lava-tree)