Chitalpa Tree

Pink Dawn Chitalpa Tree, blooms in the summer. Is a cross between the native Texas tree Desert Willow ant the Catalpa.

Pink Dawn Chitalpa Tree, blooms in the summer. Is a cross between the native Texas tree Desert Willow and the Catalpa.  Summer Cloud Chitalpa has white blooms.

Lantana and Yucca beggining to bloom in Texas April Perennial Garden Landscape Design

Yuccas are a common companion plat to the Chitalpa.

The gardens also named two Chitalpa cultivars: ‘Morning Cloud’, with white flowers, and ‘Pink Dawn’, with pink.  Most Chitalpa trees produce large, orchid-like, white flowers, but ‘Pink Dawn’ features pink blooms with yellow throats.  Chitalpa carries some of the best traits of both parents, yet doesn’t produce the abundant, messy seed pods that each    parent tree develops.  That’s because the flowers are sterile. Therefore, there are no seed pods to drop onto patios.

Chitalpa tree — an attractive hybrid that combines the best qualities of its parents, Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) and Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) — tailored especially for Texas landscapes:

Chitalpa Tree (×Chitalpa tashkentensis)
Chitalpa is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree that brings together the drought-hardiness and long bloom season of the desert willow with the larger stature and leaf density of the catalpa — but without the mess. It’s ideal for Texas gardeners who want beauty, shade, and low maintenance.

Botanical Name: ×Chitalpa tashkentensis
Common Names: Chitalpa, Hybrid Catalpa
Parentage: Cross between Chilopsis linearis (Desert Willow) and Catalpa bignonioides (Southern Catalpa)

Foliage:

• Long, narrow, soft green leaves

• More refined than catalpa, denser than desert willow

• Provides light shade — airy but effective

Flowers:

• Showy, trumpet-shaped blooms resembling desert willow, but slightly larger and more ruffled

• Bloom colors include pale pink, lavender-pink, or white, depending on the cultivar

• Blooms from late spring through fall, especially in hot climates

Size and Form:

• Mature height: 20–35 feet

• Spread: 20–30 feet

• Rounded or vase-shaped canopy

• Fast-growing; typically reaches full size in 5–7 years in Texas conditions

Key Advantages of Chitalpa

• No messy seed pods — unlike the catalpa

• Non-invasive — unlike some catalpa relatives

• Long blooming season — inherited from the desert willow

• Heat and drought tolerant — perfect for Central, North, and West Texas

• Attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies

• Tidy — low leaf litter, and no sucker growth issues

Popular Cultivars

• ‘Morning Cloud’ – white blooms with pale pink markings

• ‘Pink Dawn’ – pale pink to lavender-pink flowers, most commonly available

• Both are highly ornamental and drought-adapted

Care and Maintenance

• Sun: Full sun is ideal; tolerates intense Texas heat

• Soil: Prefers well-drained soil; not picky about pH

• Watering: Low to moderate; drought-tolerant once established

• Pruning: Minimal; shape in winter if needed

• Pests/Diseases: Very few issues; resistant to most common landscape pests

Landscape Uses

• Great for small urban yards, courtyards, parking lot islands, or street trees

• Provides light shade without overwhelming nearby plants

• Works well with xeriscapes, Mediterranean designs, and native Texas plantings

Texas Notes

• Performs especially well in Central Texas and North Texas where heat and seasonal drought can challenge less-adapted trees

• Less suitable for areas with consistently wet or heavy clay soils (e.g., parts of East Texas) unless soil is amended for drainage

•  Chitalpa performs well in Central and West Texas, where soils are well-drained and rainfall is limited. It’s also a good option for urban settings due to its moderate size and tidy form.

Q4: How big does Chitalpa get?
A: It typically grows to 20–35 feet tall and 20–30 feet wide, forming a rounded or spreading canopy suitable for shade or ornamental use.

Q5: When does Chitalpa bloom?
A: Chitalpa blooms from late spring through early fall, often in waves. The flowers resemble catalpa or trumpet-shaped blooms and may be pink, lavender, or light purple, depending on the cultivar.

Q6: Is Chitalpa drought tolerant?
A: Yes. Thanks to its desert willow parentage, Chitalpa is very drought tolerant once established and does well with minimal supplemental water in hot climates.

Q7: What soil and sunlight conditions does Chitalpa need?
A: It prefers full sun and well-drained soil, including sandy or loamy types. It does not tolerate heavy, soggy soils well and may struggle in poorly drained areas.

Q8: Does Chitalpa have any disease problems?
A: One downside is that Chitalpa is somewhat susceptible to powdery mildew, especially in humid areas like East Texas. Good air circulation and spacing help reduce risk.

Q9: Is Chitalpa messy or invasive?
A: Chitalpa is not invasive, and it produces little litter, unlike its catalpa parent which drops large seed pods. It’s considered a clean, manageable tree for residential use.

Q10: Are there named Chitalpa cultivars?
A: Yes. Common cultivars include ‘Pink Dawn’, known for its profuse pink-lavender flowers, and ‘Morning Cloud’, which has white to pale-pink blooms and more upright growth.