There are a couple of native species of catalpa, southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and northern catalpa, C. speciosa. They are virtually interchangeable and indistinguishable, with the later being slightly larger and the wide planted ranges differing by just one hardiness zone north and south compared to the smaller and separated native ranges. Catawba is the Indian name for this tree, but it got mistranscribed on the original description. Other vernacular names refer to the resemblance of the seed pods to cigars and/or beans, which can be messy and lead to seedlings where not desired. The pods are borne from large terminal clusters of white flowers that superficially resemble those of the invasive exotic Paulownia tomentosa, and specifically individual flowers of trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans, and crossvine, Bignonia capreolata, since they are both in the same family as catalpa. Catalpa trees are the host for the larvae of the catalpa sphinx moth. The large juicy yellow and black caterpillar worms are used for fish bait and can be frozen for use out of season. This is the main reason for many of the trees being planted, but because this often results in catalpa trees being completely defoliated once or twice a year makes other people not want them besides the aforementioned messiness. Surprisingly the trees are apparently unaffected by such frequent defoliation and this apparently translates into excellent success with transplantation. There are Alabama state co-champions of southern catalpa with 64 and 58 feet in height, 200 and 202 inches in circumference, and average limb spreads of 68 and 67 feet respectively.