Plant ID please

gardenfool · Mon Jul 03, 2017 4:43 pm

Any ideas on what this plant might be? It just came up this year & stands about 5' tall. The leaves resemble lilacs, but are MUCH larger. (There is only one.)

!potatoes! · Mon Jul 03, 2017 4:51 pm

You don't say where you are, but it looks like a Catawba.

gardenfool · Mon Jul 03, 2017 5:14 pm

I'm in Oregon State (USA) Zone 8b-9a.
People have guessed Lilac, but in this photo I'm holding a sprig of leaves from my lilac bush in front of the plant. As you can see the leaves are much larger than lilac. Others have guessed Philodendron, but I don't think so.

gardenfool · Mon Jul 03, 2017 5:43 pm

!potatoes!, I can't find a plant called "Catawba", but I found "Catalpa tree". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQHsAvhwCz8
Is that what you meant?

!potatoes! · Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:58 am

Yes. Same tree, called different names in different regions.

gardenfool · Tue Jul 04, 2017 1:42 pm

Thank you.

imafan26 · Tue Jul 04, 2017 1:48 pm

This is the other catawba. It is the problem with common names
https://www.britannica.com/plant/rhododendron#ref179777

It could be the catalpa tree. The leaves are similar.