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Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' is an eye-catching variety. It is grown mainly for its stunning heart-shaped foliage. This foliage emerges bronze and matures to a bright gold before fading to green in late summer. It is a deciduous tree that grows well in a warm, sheltered location. When grown as a stand-alone specimen tree, it makes an excellent focal point. However, it also works well at the back of sunny borders when the stems are pollarded annually to form a large shrub. During the months of July and August, the branches are adorned with upright panicles of showy white blooms. These are followed by drooping seed pods, giving rise to the common name Indian Bean Tree. Height and spread as a tree: up to 10m (32?). Height and spread if pollarded: 3m (10?).