The tulip poplar, also called tulip tree or yellow poplar, is a flowering shade tree native in Missouri. It is the official state tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee and found naturally in many Eastern to Midwestern states. One of the largest trees in the United States, it towers above most other native species.
The Tulip Poplar
The tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a poorly named tree, for it is neither a tulip nor a poplar tree. It is, instead, a very tall member of the Magnolaceae, or Magnolia, family. It is extremely low-maintenance and is happy to grow in many areas within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9 where it has access to water and full sun. Tulip poplars regularly grow to be between 60 and 90 feet tall and 30 to 50 feet wide, with those in upper mountain areas across the Appalachians reaching up to 190 feet tall.
Tulip poplars are named for their yellow and orange flowers. The 2-inch-long cup-shaped flowers are usually hidden high in the tree and behind the much larger leaves, making them difficult to observe. Tulip poplar leaves are lobed, waxy and smooth, with bright yellow foliage in the fall. The flowers develop into cone-shaped fruits with winged seeds that fall to the ground -- often the only trace of the flowers that passersby will see.
The tulip poplar is usually bare at the bottom with its branches located on the upper half of the tree. Branches start out wide and spreading but get smaller as they reach the top, creating an overall conical shape to the tree. The trunk can be extremely thick given how tall the tree grows; the tallest trees' trunks have diameters of 4 to 6 feet and can be as thick as 10 feet in circumference.
Because of its large size, the tulip poplar is often used as a hardwood in various large-scale building projects. In past times, Native Americans often hollowed out the large trunks to make canoes. Today, the wood is used for toys, furniture, plywood, construction, crates and even musical instruments. The flowers are also a popular source of honey, producing a dark, yet subtly flavored product.
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images