Coppicing a Golden Indian Bean tree to maximise it's brilliant golden foliage in a border.

This week on The Horti-Culturalists we take a look at a plant grown exclusively for its foliage, in this case a tree! Which then leads us naturally to coppicing! Stephen grows Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' For it’s golden foliage in a blue & yellow border and so has to coppice the tree every season to keep it's height down.

We also have a close encounter with Tagetes lemmonii, the Mexican Marigold, which has to be one of the most fragrant leaved plants out there, and discover who Mr Lemonn was!
The plants featured in this episode are:
Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' - Golden Indian Bean Tree: a very hardy native of North America with fabulous golden foliage, able to withstand heat and extreme cold. Once mature it is smaller than the species Catalpa and bears beautiful orchid-like cream flowers late spring. Stephen coppices his every winter to maintain the height he requires and so his never blooms - it’s all about the amazing leaves.

Tagetes lemmonii - Mexican Marigold: a native of Mexico and SW USA. A tough highly fragrant small shrub which can tolerate sun, heat, drought; a winter flowerer that might need an annual trim to keep it in shape!
0:00 Introduction
0:38 Catalpa bignonioides
5:59 Tagetes lemmonii

[geesgardeningclubuk]

Love these trees, iv actually successfully grown one from the wispy looking seeds from the pods it produces, i too coppice mine annually

[TONIWeaver-im]

Hi Stephen. Thank you so much for your reply. And for putting my mind at rest. I love this bean tree and planted it as a small sapling . I’d be very sad to lose it so I appreciate your reply. And your videos are fab. Thank you😊

[astridfeline]

Loved this post! I have 2 giant catalpas at my house that provide a wonderful deep shade. They are easy to grow from seed which are produced in abundance inside the pods. I've started 3 new ones this year, contemplating putting them in a half wine barrel and coppicing them every year to provide summer shade in front of my south facing windows. Good info, thank you.

[Kay-qtid]

I have a tree marigold which I dug up and moved easily to another spot because it became so large, despite my chopping it often it did not sit well at the front of my garden, now it is on a driveway with other misfits. Lovely sent, I don’t recall a more scented plant actually. Highly recommend and flowers constantly.
Mine must now be about 10 years old.

[DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

I will never remember these names 😂
I share your philosophy that the plant has to pay its way. I was laughing loud when you said - if it is not, it should be compost! Brutal 😀 Thank you for a nice video!

[Kintor-AFP]

Howdy Gentlemen. Do you think a mexican tree marigold, would transplant easy enough ?

[TONIWeaver-im]

Hi my Indian bean tree is developing a rust colour on the bark on the trunk. It’s from the base and is now about 3feet up.
Is this normal? I’m in the uk. The tree is about 20 years old and is roughly 30 feet tall and has a spread of about 40 feet.

[simonnicholls]

Hahahaha prune with secateurs!!, 🤣🤣🤣🤣.... we behead our catalpa here in central France every year. Every year the new growth is HUGE! I mean we coppiced in January, and here in August most of the new growth is 60-75mm at the point where it has sprouted from the trunk! And that's proper hard wood!

[HimadriSarkar]

Does it flower highly scented or just very light fragrance..??

[stevenskidmore]

I have a question please, can the Bean pods or the leaves on these trees be eaten by people ?.

[jonathantaylor]

Thanks guys another great video. What great plants you have. Those two are both fantastic. Quick question, I have the Indian bean tree in the garden here in Kent, UK, it is a tree some 12 feet tall, can I cut it back into more of a Bush next winter?
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the next video 😁

[brocktoon]

To me, Lantana smells like passion fruit.

[alistairmcdonald]

I want to make a kefer drink out of both of these flowers southern catalpa precisely
But the Mexican later are they poisonous or not

[WibblyWobbly]

This one s hardy to at least 4th zone, Im in russia, that grows fine here. I guess not everywhere in russia, but its fine in zone 4:) aurea unfortunately is not widespread, i wish it were, its gorgeous.