NAME:
COMMON – Tulip Poplar
BOTANICAL – Liriodendron tulipifera
FAMILY – Magnoliaceae

DERIVATION:
One of the largest native trees in North America, found throughout the Southeast, southern Ontario and central US.

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS:
Mature height from 90 to 120 feet, and width of 48 feet with pyramidal form. Fast growing at 3 feet a year, it can reach 200 feet; not a tree for the small home landscape.

GROWTH LOCATION:
Prefers deep, moist, slightly acid soil in full sun.

ATTRIBUTES, VALUE, UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS:
Spring flowers are showy, 2” tulip-shaped cups with greenish-yellow petals and orange markings that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It is a favorite nesting site for birds.  A distinctive feature is the winter buds that resemble a duck’s bill. The shallow root system limits the types of plants that can be grown within the drip line and causes susceptibility to drought. Foliage turns yellow in autumn.

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