Any Tree Experts In?

Can anyone identify the tree in the two very iffy phone pics below? The wife (usually reliable on all things green and growing) is stumped. it isn't native as I'm sure I would come across more examples.

The leaves are very large and the tree is covered with those seed pods which don't seem to contain definite seeds though. The specimens I have seen are in Nottingham Arboretum and Nottingham University.

Any ideas?

I'm no expert

These pods remind me of the Catalpa tree - used to see a lot of these around the g/f's mother's old house in Poitou Charentes, in France - looks the same I reckon I don't think it's at all native to Europe...

Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa

zimbob":khhmvy8p said:

I'm no expert

These pods remind me of the Catalpa tree - used to see a lot of these around the g/f's mother's old house in Poitou Charentes, in France - looks the same I reckon I don't think it's at all native to Europe...

Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa

Click to expand...

I think you're spot on. A big thanks. The ones I saw looked healthy enough this far north.

The Green Rabbit is your man, although he is currently in Japan at the Gardening World Cup.... (yes really!)

That is an Indian Bean Tree....most certainly!

Ask thegreenrabbit - he is a proper tree expert. He has literally just flown back from Japan so may be a bit jet lagged but I am sure he will be up and about very soon.

Yes, bean tree. They are tropical really and just about hang on. IIRC the beans never get time to ripen and so are not viable. They don't shed their leaves properly in autumn, they just get whacked by the first frost...poor tree doesn't know what to do about it!

Yes I'm back, from Japan, I can agree that they are crappy phone pics, its a bit like taking a sore to the doctor, and not letting him have a proper look, but Rant over.

Its possibly Catalpa bignonioides I cant make out the tree colour. they look golden, was it golden in the summer or is it just starting to turn yellow now ? If it has been yellow all year it could be Catalpa bignonioides cv. Aurea, or simply normal Catalpa bignonioides if its turning now, on a second look the leaves look a little on the small side so it could be Catalpa speciosa. I am surprised by it not having a name plate in a university arboretum, worth asking the grounds team as they will probably have a full list of trees a by location, many even have GPS locations as well. The seed pods may never ripen but will hang on in to the winter.