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Glite Dictionary
Catalpa speciosa

Catalpa speciosa

8.8
A large tree from the central United States with big heart-shaped leaves and clusters of white flowers
  • noun
  • /ˈkætəlpə spɛˈsiːoʊsə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : catalpa speciosa
  • The Catalpa speciosa in our backyard produces beautiful clusters of white flowers every spring.

Examples

  • Many gardeners love the Catalpa speciosa for its large leaves.

  • The wood of Catalpa speciosa is prized for its resistance to rot in fence posts and utility poles.

  • Many city parks in the Midwest feature Catalpa speciosa for its shade and ornamental value.

  • The Catalpa speciosa is often planted for its beautiful flowers.

  • Many city parks in the Midwest feature Catalpa speciosa for its shade and ornamental value.

  • The Catalpa speciosa in our backyard produces beautiful clusters of white flowers every spring.

  • The wood of Catalpa speciosa is prized for its resistance to rot in fence posts and utility poles.

Synonyms

Indian bean
vsCatalpa speciosa
  • US
7.4

A large tree with heart-shaped leaves, white flowers and long thin seed pods

focuses on being native to the central United States rather than seed pods

Surface Forms

Catalpa speciosa singular
Catalpa speciosas plural

Morphology

Catalpa + speciosa

The name is compositional: 'Catalpa' is the tree genus and 'speciosa' is a Latin adjective meaning 'showy' or 'beautiful', so together they denote a particular (showy) species of catalpa. However this is a scientific Latin binomial rather than everyday English, and recognizing it as a species name and interpreting 'speciosa' requires domain or Latin knowledge, so the relation is only partially obvious to a typical B1 learner.

Etymology

Catalpa speciosa may come from a Native American word for this tree, and the second word speciosa means 'showy' in Latin. The tree's large heart-shaped leaves and bright white flower clusters really stand out, so the name points to the tree's eye-catching appearance.