Species Web Page by: Deborah Leigh Brown

Species Liriodendron tulipifera

by: Deborah Leigh Brown

  • The common names forLiriodendron tulipifera are Tuliptree, Yellow Poplar, Whitewood, Tulip Poplar, Blue Poplar, Saddletree, Canoewood, Tulip Magnolia, and the Poplar Tulip-bearing Lily Tree.

  • L. tulipifera belongs to the family Magnoliaceae, subfamily Liriodendroideae, and the genus Liriodendron.

    Photographed by: Deborah Leigh Brown

    Young L. tulipifera tree

  • Liriodendron tulipifera are tall, deciduous, broadleaf trees that often live a long time. The bark of mature trees has "grayish brown, interlacing, rounded ridges which are separated by grayish crevices" (Dirr, 1975). The bark is similar to Ash but is lighter and has less diamond-shaped furrows. The bark of young trees is brown, smooth, and thin but ages to deep gray-brown with the long, vertical ridges. The leaves are alternate with a distinctive tuliplike shape. These trees grow to 60 meters high and 3.5 meters in diameter. They produce perfect, cup-shaped flowers that are 4 to 5 centimeters wide and are greenish-yellow in color and are orange inside near the base. These flowers are produced from June to July and appear after the leaves have formed and are usually found high on the tree. Flowers are not produced on young trees. They begin to flower at age 15 and continue to flower for 200 years. It has a rapid growth rate that slows with age. It is ths state flower of Indiana and is the second tallest tree in North America behind the sycamore (Hottes, 1932). The wood of the Tuliptree is yellow and the sap is white. "The inner bark of the root is acrid and is used and is used as a stimulant in native medicine. It is also the source of Tulipiferine, an alkaloid which acts violently on the heart and nervous system" (Gardiner, 1989).

  • The species is a native of North America and is found in southern Ontario and the eastern and southeastern United States, from Massachusetts to Illinois, Arkansas to Lousiana, south to the Gulf Coast and northern Florida.

    Liriodendron tulipifera
    AREA STATUS REFERENCES
    North America:
    Continental United States; Canada
    YesChandler, 1988
    Eastern North America:
    United States east of Mississippi;
    Ontario and eastern Canada
    YesChandler, 1988
    Southeastern United States:
    AL AR DE DC FL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV
    YesChandler, 1988
    Southern Appalachian States:
    AL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV
    YesGardiner, 1989
    Coastal PlainYesGardiner, 1989
    PiedmontYesDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    Blue Ridge MountainsYesGardiner, 1989
    Great Smoky Mountains National ParkProbablyDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    Ridge and ValleyYesGardiner, 1989
    Cumberland PlateauProbablyDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    Central ArchProbablyDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    GeorgiaYesRitter, 1996
    Clarke County, GeorgiaYesDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    Sams FarmCommonDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    Old FieldNoDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    Wetland?Deborah Brown, Personal Observation
    WoodsCommonDeborah Brown, Personal Observation
    1-Hectare PlotCommonDeborah Brown, Personal Observation

  • Liriodendron tulipifera grows in a wide variety of soil types but prefers slightly acidic soil as well as soil that is deep, rich, moist, and loose textured. These trees are not transplanted readily. Mature trees have thick enough bark to allow them to survive small fires; however, small trees are susceptible to fires due to their thin bark. Fires can actually enhance the establishment of seedlings. Tuliptrees are mainly pollinated by insects with some selfing. The samaras are dispersed by the wind and travel distances up to four to five times the height of the parent tree. They produce a large number of seeds because of the low levels of viability. The seeds average 5-20% viability. The Yellow Poplar is shade intolerant, is very sensitive to high ozone concentrations, and responds well to fertilization. This species is relatively free of pests. The four insect species that substantially affect the tree are the Tuliptree scale, Toumeyella liriodendri, the Yellow-Poplar weevil, Odontopus calceatus, the root collar borer, Euophera ostricolorella, and the Columbian timber beetle. The wood of L. tulipifera has a variety of uses. Its wood is used for lumber, furniture, plywood, musical instruments, particle board, interior finishing, boats, shingles, and woodenware.

  • The Yellow Poplar is found in the geographical distribution listed above and is found in the 1, 70, 100 area of the 1-hectare plot at Sams Farm.

    References

    Chandler, Philip, et al. Taylor's Guide to Trees. New York: Chanticleer Press, 1988.

    Dirr, Michael. Manual of Woody Landscape plants. Illinois: Stipes Publishing Co., 1975.

    Eyewitness Garden Handbooks: Garden Trees. Ed. Francis Ritter. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 1996.

    Gardiner, J.M. Magnolias: Their Care and Cultivation. London: Artillery House, 1989.

    Hottes, Alfred. The Book of Trees. Canada: General Publishing Co., Ltd., 1932.

    (C) Copyrights 97 Deborah Leigh Brown

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