Catalpa and Portia look similar when young, but this tree seems to have less elongated leaves. Did the plant you took cuttings from have flowers on it? Perhaps that will help?

It sure looks like it. If it's too big to move now, maybe some more cuttings could be started?

It is a Mahoe, Hibiscus tiliaceus. They can get big. Being in inland DB, its likely it will freeze down every few years and grow as a large shrub. It is a nice plant and won't be invasive there. It move it I would cut half the top off and transplant. Keep it well watered. It should transplant fine and grow back quickly this summer.

Thank you all for your comments. Mike said that it did have multicolored hibiscus-looking flowers & that’s why he asked the homeowner for a cutting. It’s just curious to me that it has gotten so large without flowering. So, we’ll transplant a piece or root some more cuttings . Thanks again!

Mahoe has flowers that bloom yellow and turn red. I agree you should move it at least 10 feet away from the house. Don't count on it not being invasive. The seeds can live through being carried in the ocean to distant shores, so they can certainly live through a cold snap.

@dirtygardener, are you saying that, as pretty as it might be, in the long run it’s not worth the possible contamination, so to speak, from seeds? We have been fighting a constant battle as it is with the peppers (Mike’s pet peeve) for the last two years since we bought the house. ACK!!! Where I was thinking of moving this was the other end of the retention pond in our back yard—right now all we’ve got there is a small pomegranate tree (more like a small bush at this point) and I was thinking of planting some other fruit trees there. I’ll try to post a photo tomorrow & perhaps you all could weigh in on whether or not it would be worth it to try to move it there...

All I know is that I have perennial hibiscus (Cranberry hibiscus, H. radiatus, H. sabdariffa etc.) here in 9a, that are not particularly cold hardy, but even after a hard winter, the seedlings pop up everywhere. Mahoe is a Category 2 invasive in Central & South Florida, meaning it hasn't yet altered natural habitats. Plus, it's not good in hurricanes, which is why I said put it at least 10 feet from the house. You can keep it trimmed down to a smaller size, but it's going to reseed, seeds are going to get washed away to other places by rain, etc. It's up to you.

It probably won't bloom for a couple more years. The tree-type hibiscus sometimes take awhile to bloom.

This is where we were thinking of moving the mahoe—we have a retention pond that takes up a good bit of our back yard and we own the small rise leading to our neighbor’s house (back of their house seen in photo). Currently we have a pomegranate and some kind of local shrub planted over there and would love cate the mahoe to the left of those. What do you think? I was originally saving the space for some kind fruit trees, but I’m not too sure whether it would be good for them or not. Any ideas would be welcome. We are thinking along the lines of more privacy but with something everyone could enjoy, since this area will never be fenced in and can be seen from 3 houses. Thanks.

@Eric, another option is that when Mike said he saw the original bush, it was in a 5 gallon (or so) planter and for that reason je was surprised when it grew so high so fast. Would we be better off using a container? We are on the edge of Turnbull Creek, so get some tidal influx into the pond which may, indeed , be brackish, although there are bream, striped bass, blue crabs, and turtles in it.

Ok got it moved this morning to the far side of the retention pond.

It will quickly outgrow a container so best in the ground. It won't mind brackish water either.