Yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is also known as the tuliptree, tulip magnolia, and whitewood. It is not actually a poplar, as it is in the magnolia family. The flowers resemble tulips, hence the common name tuliptree.
Hardiness: Zones 1 through 6
Growth Rate: Fast
Mature Shape: Narrow to rounded
Height: Mature size varies with species, ranging from 50 feet to 100 feet.
Width: Varies with species.
Site Requirements: Native to North America, aspen trees grow naturally in moist sites and full sun.
Flowering Dates: April - June
Seed Dispersal Dates: October - November
Seed Bearing Age: 15-20 years
Seed Bearing Frequency: 35-40 years
Seed Stratification: Prechill 2 to 3 months at 34°F to 40°F
It is one of the largest hardwoods in North America; a deciduous tree that can attain a height of 80 to 100 feet (maximum 200 feet), and a trunk diameter of 2 to 6 feet (maximum 8 to 12 feet). The leaves have a unique distinctive square shape, alternate, simple, 4 to 6 inches wide, dark green on top and paler beneath, and petioles are 3 to 6 inches long. The leaves turn a beautiful vibrant orange-yellow in the fall.
The flowers have 6 green-yellow tepals with an orange base, and surrounded by leave – blooming in late May or June.
The twigs are thick; light reddish-brown, with an aromatic odor, and cone shaped fruit clusters that remain on the branches.
It grows best in deep, rich, moist soil; found in bottomlands and rocky mountain slopes. Yellow Poplar ranges from Massachusetts to southern Michigan, south to northern Florida and Louisiana. The wood is used commercially for furniture, musical instruments, and interior finishes. It is planted widely as an ornamental and shade tree, and bees will utilize the blossoms for making honey.
Diseases that Can Affect Yellow Poplar
Insects that Can Affect Yellow Poplar
