Purple hybrid catalpa, a tree that grows to 50 feet tall and wide, has some very distinctive characteristics. In spring, deep purple foliage appears, which gradually changes to lime green. In mid-late summer, 8- to 10-inch orchid-like white flowers marked with brown and yellow appear. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of purple hybrid catalpa is its cigar-shaped fruit, nicknamed the Indian bean. It is a low-maintenance deciduous tree that grows in part to full sun and attracts birds.