36 Nebraskaland • June 2025
for incoming pollinators, which are
drawn to the blooms by their sweet,
citrus- or jasmine-like fragrance.
Honeybees also swarm to catalpas,
making the trees a beekeeper's delight.
In Nebraska, the northern catalpa
can only be confused with its cousin,
the southern catalpa. The latter is
native to the Gulf Coastal states, is
less suited to the rigors of the Plains
and has been planted sparingly in
our southeastern towns and cities. A
few distinguishing characteristics:
the northern catalpa has larger and
more pointed leaves, larger but fewer
fl owers, and longer, thicker seed
pods than the southern catalpa.
Interestingly, their leaf scents also
diff er — when crushed, northern
catalpa leaves emit a sweet fragrance,
while their southern cousin's leaves
produce a foul odor.
While the southern catalpa has
never escaped cultivation in Nebraska,
the northern catalpa escape into
the wild has raised concerns among
conservationists. For instance, along
the central Platte River valley, the tree
is taking hold along wet riverbanks and
sandbars, displacing native vegetation.
In addition, this stretch of the
Platte River is critical spring roosting
habitat for migrating sandhill and
whooping cranes. There, the open,
sandy channel provides the birds with
a clear view of approaching predators
and encroaching trees obstruct this
visibility, reducing the cranes feeling
of safety and potentially limiting their
use of the area. Local conservation
groups are cutting and grinding larger
catalpas and other invasive trees on
the riverbank and disking sandbars to
uproot saplings in an eff ort to maintain
an open channel.
Catalpa Worms
The catalpa sphinx moth is named
for its caterpillars, called catalpa
worms, which feed exclusively
on catalpa leaves, sometimes
defoliating entire trees. The moth has
migrated northward and westward
Northern catalpas bloom for just a few weeks in late spring. Native Americans and early settlers reportedly used the fl owers
in herbal remedies for respiratory problems and infections. GERRY STEINAUER
