Mystery tree might be a catalpa

Q: The house we moved into has a big tree in the front yard, but we don’t know what kind it is. The leaves are huge and now, a bright yellow color and falling like mad. It also has long pods. Can you tell us what type of tree we have? — N.H., Albuquerque

A: From your description of this tree having big leaves and then saying it has long pods, I’m thinking you have a tree called a catalpa.

My question to you is, are the leaves sort of heart-shaped as well as being big? When you cut or break a pod open, is it filled with lots of sort of hairy winged seeds?

If your answer is yes to both of my questions, then I’m confident you have a catalpa tree.

They are pretty easy to care for, wanting average water during the growing season and will always do better with periodic dormant season waterings too. You didn’t mention flowers at all, so maybe the tree had already finished blooming before you got the property, but that’s an added bonus of having a catalpa tree. In spring, it’ll wear clusters of bright white flowers that are sort of orchid-shaped. The bumbles love them.

Now if the pods are long and flat, sort of chocolate brown color, and have bean-looking seeds in the pods, then you might have a tree called a Kentucky coffee tree. You just need to do a bit of investigative work as far as what’s inside the pods, and that should answer your question as to what type of tree you have.

Whatever type it is, since it makes a lot of shade, I’d recommend keeping it healthy to help keep your property cooler in the summer.

THAT TIME OF YEAR: It’s the time of year to clock or trigger your Christmas cactus. In fact, I’m a smidgen late, so forgive me. So, let’s get cracking.

If you own a Christmas cactus and you want it to be in bloom for you during the holidays, here’s what I recommend you do.

If the cactus is in a pot that you can move, get it relocated to a room where it’ll have darkness from sundown to sun up. Try desperately to keep it as dark as possible while in that space but remember to offer the light of day. You’ll keep it in the dark, so to speak for the next four weeks, then bring it back out into population and treat it as you would all of your houseplants.

A couple of days, maybe a week and a half after coming back into the light it should set wee tiny buds on the green leaf tips that continue to grow and eventually flower for you during the holidays. I will suggest that you keep the plant out of any spots that might be chilly, as that could keep the plant from setting its bloom. Not too hot, not too cold, not overwatered and certainly not underwatered will be your aim.

If you have successfully kept any poinsettias as a houseplant, the same formula will work to get them to come into color for you too.

The time of year is upon us, so start getting the plant life in your world to color up for the holidays.

Happy Diggin’ In!

Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, Albuquerque Journal, 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.