Written by Sophie Essex, freelance garden writer and landscaper. BSc Botany/ Plant Biology, MSc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants.
Catalpa trees reach mature heights of up to 12m but, if regularly pollarded, can be kept as large shrubs at the back of a border. In fact, with a little careful pruning, these exotic-looking Golden Indian Bean trees are perfect for smaller gardens. If you want to prune your catalpa, here are some tips from our horticultural team.
See our collection of catalpa trees for inspiration.
For regular catalpa trees, prune between late autumn and late winter when they're dormant. They respond well to hard pruning so don't be afraid to take out larger branches if needed. Remember to always make a cut just above a bud and at an angle facing away from the bud.
If you want to pollard your catalpa, you're in luck – it's one of just a few trees that respond well to this treatment. Not only does it restrict the height to that of a large shrub, it encourages the catalpa to produce larger and more striking leaves.
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