Despite what Dirr says, this species does have one notable advantage over C. bignonioides besides shape/size: no odor when the leaves are crushed.
Robert Kourik, in The Tree and Shrub Finder, writes that it blocks on average 76% of sunlight in leaf and only 32% when bare, which is fairly good but not as good as, say, Liquidambar or Liriodendron.
Legendarily adaptable; found all along the highways in North Jersey and even in some vacant lots in Newark (while others have Paulownia -- it's easy to tell the two apart when in flower), so I have no choice but to give it the "weedy" tag.
Subject to defoliation by catalpa sphinx moth larvae, but for some people that's the entire reason to plant this tree in the first place (as the larvae are an excellent live fishing bait).
Pollen may be allergenic. Flowers smell like honeysuckle or Arabian jasmine.
Can be cut to the ground every year for gigantic, tropical-looking leaves, but this sacrifices flowers. This is the only case that justifies the "use:border" tag. Generally takes severe pruning well, which you might need if you want to keep the shape regular with age.
Sources: UFL, Sunset, Missouri BG, Stoecklein, UConn, Dirr, USDA, Druse.
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