Chitalpa tashkentensis 'Pink Dawn'
Common name: 
Pink Dawn Chitalpa
Pronunciation: 
chi-TAL-pa tash-KEN-ten-sis
Family: 
Bignoniaceae
Genus: 
Synonyms: 
x Chitalpa tashkentensis
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf deciduous tree, small to medium, 20-35 ft (6-10.7 m) tall, branches dense, spreading.   Leaves alternate, occasionally opposite, to 20 cm long, narrow, tapering at both apex and base, dull green, glabrous above and shaggy soft hair below.  Flowers in erect clusters (racemes), trumpet-shaped, resemble Catalpa, pink, yellowish center.  Does not generally produce fruit.
  • Sun and partial shade.  Blooms for several months during the summer.  A tough, drought tolerant plant, adapted to the southwestern U.S, but apparently not suitable for the southeastern U.S.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 6     ×Chitalpa tashkentensis is a hybrid of two genera, Catalpa bignonoides (Southern Catalpa) and Chilopsis linearis (Desert Willow).  Clone no. 1 of the cross was named ‘Pink Dawn’, it is the most commonly sold selection.  ‘Morning Cloud’ (Clone No. 2) is also available; it has pale pink to white flowers, is more upright, and grows larger than ‘Pink Dawn’.
  • Corvallis: three trees at the NE corner of 23rd St. and Monroe Ave. (United Campus Ministry)
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: west side Withycombe Hall; NW corner Lab. Animal Res. Center; Hort. Dept., Lewis-Brown Farm, Peoria Road.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, start of flowering

    plant habit, start of flowering

  • flower cluster development

    flower cluster development

  • summer flowering

    summer flowering

  • summer flowering

    summer flowering

  • flowering canopy

    flowering canopy

  • leaves and flowers

    leaves and flowers

  • flowers

    flowers

  • leaves

    leaves

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • leaves, fall

    leaves, fall

  • plant habit, winter

    plant habit, winter

  • twigs and buds, winter

    twigs and buds, winter