Nash Community College Plants Catalpa Tree

Ken White, NCC Master Gardener, gives students and viewers background on the Catalpa tree and the reason for its location on campus.

On April 20, Nash Community College hosted its annual Tree Planting Ceremony. Master Gardner Ken White led the planting of a Catalpa (Catawba) tree near the pond and Chris Kent Pavilion on campus.

The location was selected as the Catalpa tree is host to the Catawba worm, which is used for fishing bait, also referred to as “magical fish bait” and “catfish candy,” as they only come around once a year.

Large clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers are produced, and the limbs droop as the tree grows. The Southern Catalpa is also called the “cigar tree” because of its cigar-like fruits encasing the tree’s seeds.

NCC is a recognized campus of Tree Campus USA.

“We are proud to be a tree campus,” said Dr. Lew K. Hunnicutt, president of NCC. “NCC has been a tree campus for over ten years, and it was one of the country’s first higher ed tree campuses.”

Tree Campus USA encourages healthy community forests by requiring colleges and universities to meet five core standards: creation of a tree advisory committee and a campus tree care plan, having an annual budget for campus tree care, hosting an Arbor Day observation and providing conservation-related student service opportunities.