New Leaves on My Indian Cigar Tree

It seems like it would be an oxy-moron to say that my Indian Cigar Tree (Catalpa tree) has tiny leaves, but it does.  I feel like I’ve been waiting so long for its leaves to appear!  This is the first year I’m attempting to document the states of this amazing tree; it provides the only patch of shade in my yard in summer.  (But that’s not the only reason it’s amazing—we’ll get to all those other reasons later.)

To see my Indian Cigar Tree in its early spring (okay, winter) state, check my first post about this tree and what we’ll do under all that coveted shade.  Here’s what it looks like now: tiny leaves are finally appearing!

One of the things that makes this tree so neat is that it doesn’t get buds in early spring like most other trees do—that and its strange-looking, bare (and few) branches make the tree look stark and dead in winter (and through the first half of spring, when everything else is coming to life).  Multiple leaves just poke right out of the end of the branch, which is why it doesn’t have very many tiny branches like maples and oaks do.

I know these shots aren’t all that exciting, but just wait until these tiny leaves become huge, like bigger than my head huge.  It’s gonna be amazing.  Beneath all of its shade I will grow my first-ever shade garden this year and create a sitting area for my family.  Stay tuned!