Tuesday's Trees- Tulip Poplar

I remember while volunteering at the York County Cooperative Extension office getting a phone call asking about a tree with tulip flowers.  This was early in my Master Gardener experience.  I thought it was Tulip Poplar, but wasn't sure.  Do you have 'knowledge' that pops into your head and you have no idea if it is correct or not?  This is where I was...why did I know this?  I guess the source of my information doesn't matter, I was correct.  Looking high into the tree, you can see beautiful creamy yellow/white flowers.  I wanted to find out more about this tree.  The Tulip Poplar, Liriodendron tulipifera,  also goes by Tuliptree or Yellow Poplar, though it is not a Poplar but in the Magnolia family.  The name Yellow Poplar is because of the color of the Heartwood.

 While on our study trip last spring I had the opportunity to see these beauties up close.  There was a tree in one of the gardens with blooms on some lower branches.  The flowers bloom in the spring and are usually so high in the tree that they go unnoticed.  It is only when the faded bloom falls to the ground that you know there is a Tuliptree nearby.  The flower measures 2 inches across. 

 This is often one of the tallest trees in the forest, growing 80- 100 feet tall and lives 100- 150 years though in perfect conditions it could live up to 300 years.   It loses its lower branches as it gets taller, leaving a straight tall trunk and is a fast grower.

 The 3- 6" leaves are almost square, lobed and even margined.  Its leaf stalk is long.  In the fall these large leaves turn a strong yellow.  I thought I had a photo of the fall foliage, though I can't find it. 

 Yellow Poplar is a prolific seeder.  The flower is a perfect flower and while it can self-pollinate, pollinators are very important.  The stigmas are light colored when first emerged and are receptive to pollen.  After they turn brown they are no longer receptive...this period of time is very small-- 12- 24 daylight hours.  Seeds form in the conelike  center and winged samaras mature late summer to mid autumn.   The seeds can remain viable on the forest floor somewhere between 4- 7 years. 

 In the winter the open aggregate (composed of a cluster of carpels belonging to the same flower, as the raspberry.) appear to be tulips left on the tree.

The bark is light gray with shallow furrows, becoming darker as it ages.  As it is a straight trunk the wood is highly valued for its use in furniture and framing construction.  It is a good source of wildlife food and valued as a honey tree.  Morel mushrooms grow best under these trees.   It is the largest and most valuable hardwood in the U.S.

This tree is native to the United States, from southern New England to north central Florida and west to Michigan and Louisiana.  Some of the largest specimen have been found along the Ohio River valley and the slope of the mountains of North Carolina.  It likes moist soils and can be found along streams and river banks. 

 This photo is the pair of Liriodendron tulipifera is from my backyard.  I was thrilled to find we had one in our yard and let the builder and the landscape folks know I wanted to be sure that this tree pair was unharmed.  I look forward to seeing it this spring. 

 The main online source of information is the Forestry Service Silvics Manual, one I use quite a bit.

 I also used some of my tree books from my home library.  Taylor's Guides, Trees,   Smithsonian Handbooks, Trees,   Common Native Trees of Virginia, and Trees of the Carolinas Field Guide.

Next week's tree-- Bald Cypress.

words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.