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The tulip tree, also called tulip poplar or yellow-poplar, is one of the tallest hardwoods in eastern North America and the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Despite its names, it isn't a poplar or a tulip but a member of the magnolia family. Look for its squared-off, four-lobed leaves and cup-shaped, greenish-yellow flowers with an orange band.

Appearance

Growth form
A fast-growing tree, usually 80–150 ft (24–46 m) tall with a long, straight trunk. Record trees have topped 190 ft (58 m).
Leaves
Leaves are 5–6 in (13–15 cm) long with four main lobes and a broad, flat tip, as if snipped off with scissors. They turn golden yellow in fall.
Flowers
Fragrant, upright, cup-shaped flowers, greenish-yellow with an orange band near the base. They open after the leaves, high in the crown, so they're easy to miss.
Flowering time
April in the Deep South to June in the north; May to early June in North Carolina.
Fruit
A narrow, cone-like cluster of winged seeds ripens in September–October; the stalks often stay on the tree through winter.

Where it lives

Typical habitats
  • moist forests
  • stream valleys and coves
  • parks and large yards
Range
Native to the eastern US and southern Ontario, from southwestern Massachusetts west to Illinois and south to central Florida and Louisiana.
Preferred conditions
Prefers deep, moist, well-drained soil and full sun, though it tolerates partial shade; it's sensitive to heat and drought. USDA hardiness zones 4–9.
Flowering

Flowers Apr–Jun

Flowers Apr–Jun · Fruit Sep–Oct

Life cycle

Seed dispersal
The winged seeds are carried by the wind.

Growing it

Care
A great shade tree for big spaces, but not for small lots or streets: fast growth makes the wood weak, limbs can break in ice or wind, and aphid honeydew can drip from the leaves. Compact cultivars like 'Little Volunteer' suit smaller yards.

Connected species

Ties with other wildlife
Caterpillars of the eastern tiger swallowtail feed on the leaves, and the tulip-tree silkmoth's caterpillars depend on it as their host. Many birds and mammals eat the seeds.
Pollinators
The flowers are full of nectar and visited by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds; it's an important honey tree.
Close relatives
  • Chinese tulip treeLiriodendron chinense

    The genus has just two species: this one in North America and its twin in China and Vietnam, which has slightly larger, more deeply lobed leaves and shorter inner petals without the orange color.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms
Garden cultivars include 'Aureomarginatum' (leaves with broad yellow edges) and narrow, upright forms such as 'Fastigiatum'.

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

Culture and stories

Culture and stories
  • Its light, straight trunks were traditionally hollowed out for dugout canoes, which earned it the nickname canoewood.
  • Today its soft, fine-grained wood is used for furniture, interior trim, siding, and pulp.
  • It was one of the first American trees grown in England, introduced before 1688.

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Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) — identification, habitat & look-alikes | Moeyo