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| 14 October 2013 |
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| 13 May 2013 |
I am not certain whether this is Catalpa bignonioides or Paulownia tomentos. To be somewhat positive I will have to get a twig and examine the pith, which I plan on doing later. If I had taken the photos a few weeks sooner I could have checked the blossoms. And if I wait a few week longer the growing fruit pods will help make the identification more precise.
This old tree has about a 3 1/2 to 4 foot diameter and is about maxed out in height - I/m guessing about 50 feet or so. Long ago when U.S.40 was a quiet war time route and Mechanics Valley road was gravel this was the old Rhudy farm with this tree shading the house in summer. In the top photo the lower limb extending to the left still has the swing hangers showing at the bottom. Now it still survives thanks to some businessman deciding not to clear it for a larger parking lot.
Well today - 14 October 2013 - I stopped by the above tree and spotted one long slender seed-pod still attached which confirms the identification as Catalpa bignonioides
