{"product_id":"catalpa-bignonioides-aurea","title":"Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eCatalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'\u003c\/strong\u003e, the golden Indian bean tree, is one of the most architectural large-leaved foliage trees you can grow in a British garden. Enormous heart-shaped leaves up to 25cm across emerge a vivid acid-yellow in spring and hold their golden colour right through the season. In high summer, mature specimens carry showy upright panicles of orchid-like white flowers spotted with yellow and purple, followed by long bean-like seed pods in autumn that give the tree its common name.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a hero foliage plant for an exotic-feel garden. The huge soft leaves bring a genuine tropical-jungle quality to a hardy plant, and the golden colour lights up any composition. It can be grown as a free-form tree to 8-12m or coppiced annually to a 2-3m multi-stemmed shrub with even larger leaves, which is how most discerning UK gardeners use it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun to partial shade; sheltered from strong winds which can tear the large leaves.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e fertile, moist but well-drained; tolerant of most types including chalk and clay.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e as a tree, 8-12 m tall, 6-10 m wide; coppiced, kept to 2-3 m.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e RHS H6, fully hardy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e'Aurea' is a stunning specimen for a sheltered lawn, the back of an \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic mixed border\u003c\/a\u003e, or as the structural centrepiece of a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003eHardy Exotic garden\u003c\/a\u003e. It pairs beautifully with dark-leaved companions like Sambucus 'Black Lace' or purple-leaved Acers. See our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ewhat to expect from outdoor plants\u003c\/a\u003e guide for season-by-season notes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a coppiced shrub habit, the technique is simple: cut the previous year's growth back to a low framework in early spring just before the buds break. The result is a regularly produced flush of huge, intensely golden leaves on a manageable bush. A natural choice for a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003elarge patio container\u003c\/a\u003e too.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery \u003cstrong\u003eCatalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'\u003c\/strong\u003e we send is a strong, well-rooted young specimen, hand-selected for a healthy crown and balanced shape, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"23cm \/ 5L","offer_id":57859256254847,"sku":"CATABIGNAUR23","price":49.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/rn-image_picker_lib_temp_94a44519-4074-4f1d-8d8a-0e14cc9694aa.jpg?v=1783093810","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/catalpa-bignonioides-aurea","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}