Chitalpa

On Aug 9, 2020, Pjxcooper from Salt Lake City, UT wrote:

I bought this tree from a nursery at about 7’ tall. It looked really beautiful the first year and flowered as expected. After winter it looked dead for months. I left it there because birds landed on it a lot. Then little growth started at the very bottom. A lot of them. Now it has about ten stems with a few over 6’ tall. Some stand up and some fall over. It doesn’t look like a tree at all and I don’t know what to do. It’s August and still hasn’t flowered. What should I do?

On Dec 23, 2014, ggia from Bakersfield, CA wrote:

A mature, stately specimen of X Chitalpa tashkentensis is planted on the grounds of Mountain Gardens Nursery, 503 South Curry St, Tehachapi, CA 93561. Owners are happy with the tree.

On Aug 3, 2014, Gubfunckel_C27 from Staplehurst,
United Kingdom wrote:

Love this tree, been in my garden for 11 years and still growing, it was a 5foot tall spindly tree when we got it, it has been reduced in width over the years and now stands about 15feet tall and 20 foot wide

We are planning on crown reducing it this year to get the flowering canopy back down to where it is more visible again, it is covered in thousands of pink/white flowers every year.

I live in in Kent in the South of England,we get minus 10C to plus 26C so it has a good range of temperatures but loves the nice clay soil.

On Mar 3, 2014, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote:

The only specimen at the Arnold Arboretum, Boston MA (Z6a) did not live to maturity. Perhaps due to inadequate hardiness, perhaps due to too much precipitation, perhaps due to low soil pH, or perhaps due to the disease problem mentioned below.

On Aug 3, 2013, spencertoo from Norman, OK wrote:

There are so many wonderful traits about the Chitalpa. It is a tree I would be interested in planting. I began to look into it and have been researching info on the Chitalpa’s history, care and maintenance and susceptibility to disease. An unfortunate finding is the emergence of a disease that is found in this tree.

In an article by (1.)Gwen Kilchherr, Sonoma County Master Gardener I learn about the trees history. In 1964 The Chitalpa was created by A. Russanov of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences in Uzbekistan. I am sure most of you know it is a hybrid between Chilopsis and Catalpa. Both plants belong to the Bignoniaceae, trumpet vine family. First introduced to the US in 1997, by Robert Hebb of NewYork Botanic Garden. The Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens in Clare... read moremont, CA, gave the hybrid the common name “Chitalpa.” The gardens also named two cultivars 'Morning Cloud' and 'Pink Dawn'.

In an article from (2.)Natalie Goldberg an extension plant pathologist of New Mexico State University a possible "New"disease is infecting Chitalpa. It has been identified as Xyflella fastidiosa. This organism has been seen effecting grapes in California since the 1880's. In the 1990's a new vector, the glassy winged sharpshooter, showed up in CA via imports of ornamental or agricultural plants. This resulted in a new disease epidemic. In 2006 this disease was noted in the Chitalpas found in Las Cruces NM. This bacteria lives and multiples in the xylem vessels. This deprives the plant of water and nutrients. The symptoms include leaf scorch, defoliation and dieback, stunting, decline and death. It has been found in a variety of trees and plants.

It is believed that most if not all Chitalpas are infected since all varieties tested in NM were found with the bacteria. It is thought that the source of the infection came from the propagation stock collected in the wholesale nurseries. According to (3.) Dr. Curtis Smith of the Albuquerque Journal it is likely that source of infection is related to wholesale nurseries located in CA. This is based on the possibility that the insect believed to play a role in this is not found in NM. It is found in CA. He also states that these nurseries are the primary source of nursery stock for NM and possibly the rest of the US.

(4.)Applied and Environmental Microbiology has published an article online 2009 July 6, titled "Genetic Analysis of a Novel Xylella fastidiosa Subspecies Found in the Southwestern United States" It provides a detailed look at the bacterias method of infection, spread, methods of diagnosis and attempts at inoculation etc.

The first known case of Pierce’s disease, which is the form of X. fastidiosa that infects grapes was found in New Mexico in 2007. This organism was very similar to what was
found in the Chitalpas of the same area. This resulted in a survey of the Chitalpas across the SW. What was discovered was a very high incidence of the disease. It also revealed that trees found in New Mexico and Arizona coming from CA Nursieries were contaminated with the pathogen. Ongoing research and analysis supports that the New Mexico and Arizona strains compose a new subgroup that is independent from the previously described fastidiosa (piercei), sandyi, multiplex, and pauca subspecies. They suggest calling this subspecies X. fastidiosa subsp. tashke due to its discovery in and wide association with C. tashkentensis.

The article is very technical, frankly above my paygrade, I included it for those who
might have a more complete understanding of what is said than I do.

After reading several reports on this disease in Chitalpas It looks like there are still questions regarding how to contain, prevent, and diagnose the disease. It also sounds like there are questions regarding how widespread the disease is. Since the disease is somewhat different from the one that infects grapes, does that mean it will not infect grapes? Or other trees and plants that are susceptible to other versions of the disease? It would be nice to learn more on those topics.

1.http://ucanr.edu/sites/scmg/Plant_of_the_Month/Chitalpa_tashkentensis

2.aces.nmsu.edu/ces/plant_sciences/documents/xylella-fastidiosa-in-chitalpa3-compatibility-mode.pdf

3. http://www.abqjournal.com/58677/living/house/source-of-chita...

4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2737921/

Hope this is helpful info. Hope others have more to add.
spencertoo

On Jun 27, 2013, Max64 from Las Vegas, NV (Zone 9a) wrote:

I love mine. I thrives real well. I see many in Vegas where I live but unfortunately they are all very leggy, I prune mine usually before the winter or before the growing season (about 1/3) and it always comes back much fuller and denser looking. I end up doing all my neighbors Chitalpa trees after they saw mine become so fuller. It gives plenty of shade because of it. Growth is fast too when pruned. Trunk looks good with barely a few tiny vertical cracks which are hardly noticeable. It sits on the same drip system as my other plants and gets plenty of water in the heat of the summer. It also loves fertilizer. Year after year it grows healthy, full/dense and lots of flowers. Last but not least, every year just before the growing season I use an annual tree insect control. Bonide or Bayer. ... read moreBefore when I didn't the leaves were populated with insects. Since I've been using the tree insect control my trees have been insect free.

On May 6, 2011, bryum from Las Vegas, NV wrote:

I have a 10 year old plant in my yard. Every summer the leaves start out looking nice, but then turn brown and crispy on the edges from July to November. Also, after a few years, the bark slips off the trunk. Won't be long til mine is dead, and I see the same thing happening all over Las Vegas. This is a short lived unhealthy looking tree. A few years ago this tree was every landscaper's dream. Now it is shunned by all the top arborists and landscapers.

On Dec 15, 2009, ginnydrake from Escondido, CA wrote:

Planted a 4 year old, 36" boxed pink Chitalpa this past August. Hummingbirds accompanied the tree as it moved from the street to its new home. Lovely flowers, gracious-looking tree. It's December here in north San Diego County, and it hasn't lost its leaves yet. Wonder if it will? Experienced no transplant shock, unlike the Albizia julibrissin planted at the same time. Looking forward to its dappled shade, hummingbirds and wide canopy as time passes.One question - do I stop watering in the winter or just reduce the amount of water needed???

On Jun 14, 2008, valygirl from Grand Junction, CO wrote:

These wonderful trees & shrubs are thriving in our xeriscaped yard in Grand Junction, CO. They will die if you give them too much water!! We completely cut off the drip system after one year & only water them by hand about every 3 weeks. After Labor Day, completely stop all water & absolutely DO NOT winter water.

On Nov 19, 2005, betsycooper1 from Prescott Valley, AZ wrote:

We have two and love them - so do the hummingbirds. Will add one more in spring. .. Prescott is mile-high dry with temps from-15f to 115f and poor clay-like soil so they grow slow but flower well with no damage to patios or walks. Perfect for planting in or near flower beds. No seeds - this hybrid is sterile.

On May 2, 2005, ladyannne from Merced, CA (Zone 9a) wrote:

Another highlight of the east side garden. Its spring blossoms, besides being breathtaking, attract birds, bees, hummers and June bugs. The natural, sprawling, artful limbs are a work of art, holding at about twenty feet tall and fifteen feet wide. I used some cuttings to hold up tomatoes and ended up with more chitalpa trees after the tomatoes were spent. Within two years, the trees are too large for even the largest of pots.

On Sep 6, 2003, Terry from Murfreesboro, TN (Zone 7a) wrote:

In 1964, a hybridizer in Uzbekistan crossed the Chilopsis linearis and Catalpa bignoides, giving rise to the Chitalpa Tree, which wasn't officially christened until 1991, when the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden gave it its name. The flowers are sterile and dry on the plant, eliminating the need to clean up messy seed pods.

When grown in areas of high humidity, it may suffer from mildew, and it also tends to sucker near the base of the plant, but if you have room for a shrubby-type flowering tree in average-to-dry soil, the Chitalpa is very pretty!