A large tree with heart-shaped leaves, white or spotted flowers, and long bean-like seed pods, native to North America and Asia.
From the Catawba Native American word 'catawba' or 'katalpa,' meaning 'winged head,' referring to the seed pods. The word was adopted into English in the 18th century as botanists encountered the tree.
Catalpas are sometimes called 'Indian beans' because of their dramatic foot-long seed pods—they're common in American towns and were sacred to Native Americans long before science gave them their Latinized name!
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