Tree ID please

[Paulines7]

I spotted this beautiful tree in Longleat and wondered if anyone can tell me the name of it please.  It had these beautiful flowers and the tree itself was huge.

[Paulines7]

[calendula]

is it one of the white crape myrtles - not sure the leaf is quite right though  :-\

[ACE]

I suspect it is the foxglove tree, which is usually coppiced and grown for its big leaves. Ours flowers a bit earlier than this if we let it.

paulownia tomentosa

[Eristic]

I think it is the Indian bean tree Catalpha bigsomthing.

[dimmo]

definately Catalpa bignonoides

[Paulines7]

Thank you Eristic and dimmo.  That's the one. 

I Googled it and saw that its common name is the Indian Bean tree and found the following:

Indian Bean Tree - The name catalpa (pronounced ketal'pe) comes from the name given to a tree by the Native American tribe, the Catawba (keto'be or cuh-TAW-buh) of South Carolina. It is said that the Indians smoked the bean pods for a hallucinogenic effect, so the tree became known as the "Indian Cigar Tree", the Indian bean, and smoking bean. Catawba tribes are also known as Issa and Esaw. The name Catawba means "River People."


I wonder if the Marquis of Bath smokes it.   ;D ;D