PlantFiles: Tulip Poplar, Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera

I have heard that this tree does not like hot dry conditions, wind or being next to pavement. It is planted next to restaurants and warehouses near me. In some cases it is planted a foot and a half from the curb! In fall we get hot dry winds and in winter we get cold dry winds. The trees don't seem to mind either. Most of the trees are quite large and seem to be perfectly happy. They are really beautiful trees and I am considering planting one right next to the street like I've seen just around the corner.

There is one tree at the Minnesota Arboretum that is zone 4 hardy but may be marginal hardy - I don't know for sure.

I have a beautiful huge tulip tree and love it, but, I'm getting a little worried about it. Many of the branches are drooping and literally laying on the ground. It's loaded with flowers all over the tree, not just at the top. I don't have any idea how to prune it or even if I should prune. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm so afraid of loosing the tree although it does appear to be healthy.

I do agree that the rapid growth of this tree makes it more prone to breakage in areas with very high winds. But my mom had this tree in her front yard for years & we've had some very strong windstorms with no branches broken. Perhaps we were just lucky.

I find the heavier insect infestation like aphids tends to happen when the tree is stressed. It really isn't a god tree for the average homeowner since it wants to grow very tall & is a hungry feeder. It can overpower most places quickly & is better suited to parks & large estates. Under good conditions, with sufficient water needs, insects aren't usually a problem. But under crowded conditions in most people's yards & during periods of drought, aphids are a real nuisance.

I think it's a gorgeous tree in the right setting, just not for most people.

My tulip tree is good looking in the spring, but powdery mildew attacks it every summer. The fungus doesn't seem to hurt the tree, but it's not attractive. Leaves get coated with white powder, and some of them shrivel and fall off, all summer long. There's no way to treat a tree that large with fungicide and no cure, so I live with it. This tree was started from a random seedling from the forest, which in hindsight was a mistake. If you want to grow a good looking tulip tree, pay for a fungus-resistant cultivar.

I have a species of a poplar, believe it is not a tulip, however I also get the sprinkling sap problem each year that is causing havoc to my autos. The yellow droplets are carried by the wind onto the cars and turn black after time if not removed. I am looking for a solution to cure the problem, short of cutting down the tree. Any ideas? Saw where someone mentioned a product by Bayer that is poured at the base of the tree. Anyone familiar with it?

This tree is nice and attractive. It also provides a lot of shade. However, it is always covered in aphids and seems to be brittle. I have branches dropping out of the tree all the time and now the top has broken off. I am going to have to take it down. It is about 30 years old.

Seems this grows better out east, but mine is over 80 feet tall here in the midwest. We get it trimmed regularly to avoid the problem of falling branches. Ours does have a hole in it and the trimmer said if it starts to split we'll have to cut it down. I've tried growing seeds (in case we lose it!) to no avail. Only once has a seedling come up on my property, and the second I moved it, it died. Squirrels live in it too, probably not a good thing?!? Fun to watch, though.

Just bought a 101 year old house in South Eastern PA and a grand tulip tree is on the property which borders a canal. Until today I had no idea what it was, but this tree was one of the reasons I fell in love with this house.

From historical photos I was able to find of the property, the tree is approximately 90 years old. It has a 25 ft trunk circumference, and about twice as tall as my three story house, offering shade to most of the yard.

An interesting note on the flowers/pods- they are FILLED with nectar. I found this out when on a clear, breezy day I felt as if I was sprayed with something out in the yard. Turns out it was just the flowers falling and bursting on upper branches and my roof top, spraying me with nectar below!

Sorry that some here are troubled by the 'messiness' of this gorgeous tree, but I love it and consider the extra work as just another part of my gardening routine.

This is a magnificent tree. Its flowers are magnificent. These trees surround my property in Mississippi and I love seeing the blooms in spring They are in a wooded area so I haven't had to worry about the leaf drop or the tree falling on the house.
In fact, the house on my property is made from Tulip Poplar cut on the property quite a few years ago. In the living area the wood is oiled and is absolutely georgeous.
The tree is very tall and is a hazard in states where hurricanes occur. I have had oaks and enormous pines fall on my house and know whereof I speak. In fact, it is a bad idea to have a super tall tree near the house in almost any part of the country. Grow poplars but make sure they are 200 ft. from your house.

I live in Southern New Jersey and have 2 of these in my yard. They are about 4ft across the trunk, and way taller than the house, even though the house is on a high spot, and these are on ground lower than the basement.
They shade most of my side yard and the house, but also keep you busy raking the yard.
I don't know the age, but the house was built in 1929, and I think these were already here. They drop branches during storms, but dont appear to be in any danger of falling down.
I don't have the sap problem I've heard others mention, must be lucky enough not to have aphids.
dan

This is the inherited centerpiece of our front yard. I have not noticed any aphid problems. It does seem to get some blight or perhaps anthracnose, but so far the tree has weathered it just fine. I agree that it's a messy tree, although I don't mind the yellow leaves falling early. The beauty of the tree in full "bloom" as well as its form and shade more than make up for its negative aspects. We often get comments from folks walking by asking what it is and remarking on its beauty.

The ends of fallen branches can be rather scary looking and shop when the fruit comes off and there is just a spike left, but it's "bark is worse than it's bite". (Sorry, just couldn't resist). :)

This tree is very hardy. I live in Zone 8 and here it is, mid August and we've still got new growth on it. I think the key is to keep it watered during the entire summer. We had a hail storm in May that did some serious damage to this tree. We thought we'd lost it, but it's doing beautifully! I love it. I can't wait to see it bloom. Right now it's only about 8 ft tall.

I grew up in Northeastern MD, and we had the most lovely, enormous Tulip Poplars in our side yard...the flowers were magnificent, the shade delightful and the birds (orioles especially) loved to nest there. Now, living in Southwestern VA, I have my own young Tulip Poplar thriving in my "tranquil area". It is only about 5 or 6 years old (it was quite small when I transplanted it from my brother's farm) and, as I had been living in MX for the past 4 years, I had missed it's foliage time during our visits...until this Spring when we moved home. There, to welcome us back, were lovely tulips on my young (but strong and tall) Poplar...we are delighted!

My 2 tulip tree's have been planted about 10 years and are probably 30 foot tall and maybe 1 foot in diam at the base. And they have been wonderful. they are close to my house on the west side and shade one of the upstairs bedrooms. I am kind of worried, since I read some of the comments. But I would like to know what these tree's are like when they get older? do they thin out or keep there limbs etc etc. Mine flowered early, I think they say June, but mine flower the 1st week of May (now). Have not been messy so far. We do water them in drouth, as we really need the shade and can't afford to let them die. I live in zone 5 central MO. They have not been messy yet.....talk about messy and that is my sycamore tree, which is probably about 36 years old!!!

This is one of Virginia's more common native trees (& there were also quite a few of them on Long Island, NY, when I lived there). I have quite a few of them here on the farm.

While not terribly "spreading" as far as providing shade, the springtime flowers are large & exotic looking. Also, while they don't appear to be terribly long-lived for such large trees, the dead ones provide homes for multiple wildlife, & I leave them be unless they're in danger of falling & destroying fencing or buildings. Woodpeckers & small mammals LOVE them for home sites.

If planting in or near pastures, be aware that livestock (cattle & horses) do love to eat the leaves.

These trees are native here and are one of my favorites. I've survived 3 hurricanes which took out lots of mature oaks but not one Tulip Tree.

These grow everywhere here in Southern Maryland. I have two trees near my driveway and many zillions of seedlings all over. I have seen stretches of highway around here with nothing but these trees on the sides. Too bad the flowers grow so high up...

I just bought this tree. It had a pretty shape in the picture and was advertised as 30' x 90'. I'm going to uproot it and try to repot the tree for return to the store or throw it in the trash before the home owners complain about me trying to grow this tall tree that is prone to falling over in a hurricane. I'll probably just get a plain maple tree.

This is a very attractive tree,I just love the shape of the leaves.It is a shame that it doesn't have stronger wood. It is not very drought tolerant, it tends to drop it's leaves during dry hot summers. Its mostly a swamp tree in my area. It's a tree worth planting if you have a spot a good distance from the house with ample moisture. I have noticed that most of the photos posted have leaves with pointed lobes, while mine has more rounded lobes(see my photo).

This tree can grow quite large,only the Sycamore could be considered a larger tree East of the Mississippi River. One of the handsomest and most distinctive forest trees, growing to 190' with a long, straight trunk.

Crushed twigs and leaves are aromatic, a closer relative to the Magnolia than the Poplar family.

The wood is useful in many ways. Furniture,shingles,boats, impliments,boxes, pulp and fuel. Native Americans used the trunks for dugout canoes.

Fabulous native tree to the northeast woodlands. Not a good choice for small landscapes because of the many problems noted above. But an important tree to use in woodland restoration projects and for naturalization.

This is the Tennessee state tree!

The most dominant species of trees where I live, they are extremely fast growing they will quickly dominate clear cut areas within 20 years, with Sweet Gums giving them a good fight for awhile, They make massive amounts of seeds. It is dangerous to walk in the woods during windy conditions if Poplars are dangerous, they frequently drop huge branches to the ground. I can't believe and more tree more dominant, they say there were more American Chestnuts, before the blight. Poplars Grow in a stately manner when in wide open spaces,

While the tulip poplar is an acceptable shade tree it is highly desirable as a timber tree. The price of logs for veneer is better than for other common timber . For me it is great in a hardwood forest. As a shade tree it does have an advantage in that it does drop it leaves early and over a very short time interval. Oaks hang on and dribble.

To Hoosierfarmboy I say ( Amen) and well spoken.

I am sorry to hear of all three of the negative comments. The Tulip Poplar, State Tree of Indiana, is one of the most beautiful and stately trees I know of. Whatever problems accompany it (aside from damaged roots caused by construction) are insignificant in comparison to its innate value in an appropriate landscape or forest.

Mother bought the house because of this big beautiful tree. The tree along with several sugargum trees left the yard littered year round.
On Aug 18, 2000 all 120' of the Tu[ip Poplar did a 90 degree twist and laid right over on its side across the right side of her house. Seems the root was damaged back when the house was built in 1962. Good Insurance, but emotional nightmare.
If you have a choice dont plant a tulip poplar or a sugargum tree.

I've enjoyed the shade this tree provides in our backyard here in Portland, Oregon. However, right now I'm researching how to resolve an on-going messy aphid problem. It makes enjoying the backyard difficult because the lawn is sticky. I've spoken to a local nursery that recommends a product made by Bayer that is applied by mixing it with water and pouring it from a bucket at the base of the tree. Our tulip tree is probably 70 feet tall, with a circumference at the base of 115 inches.

We have am 80' tall Tulip Poplar in our yard. Last year we had wonderfull blooms all over the tree; this year there are none.

I just noticed these growing around my house a few days ago. Mostly, I've seen them growing at the local water resevoir.

I think they're beautiful trees and I love the smooth leaf shapes and the light coloring, not to mention the unusual flowers.

I have noticed the slight mess it makes when dropping flowers at the slightest breeze or after rainfall. So I wonder why people use it as a landscaping tree?

Grown in the woods and natural areas, it shouldn't make a difference and the flowers rot and enrich the soil. It's a natural cycle.

Most importantly, this tree is a larval host plant for swallowtail butterflies.

I've forgotten to add that I never see the trees on my property in flower. I never seen dropped flowers either. Yet somehow, the seeds appear on the ground every fall.

I LIVE IN EAST TEXAS AND HAVE A VERY LARGE TULIP POPLAR IN MY YARD. IT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY ONE IN THIS AREA. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL TREE, ESPECIALLY THE BLOOMS. THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE IS IT LOSING IT'S LEAVES SO EARLY - AROUND THE END OF JULY. MY YARD IS THE ONLY ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE FALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER!

I live in Merced, California where we have dry heat in the summer with many days of 100+. In our back yard is a 20 year (+/-) Tulip Poplar that stands 70+ feet. I really love it for the shade, the beautiful color of the leaves, and, since spring, I've become a true fan! The lovely flowers have me in awe!

We just recently moved to this community and I had never seen the Tulip Poplar. It is planted along many of the streets in town. I've been asking Merced natives if they knew anything about them, and described the flowers......nobody knew the name of the trees, and NObody had even noticed the flowers!!!

Because I was unfamiliar with the tree, I have been searching for any information I could find. Hence, my arrival to this great place....Great help, THANKS!

My son has a 100 foot tall tulip tree in his rear yard in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, and really loves this tree. It is tall, broad, and straight, and is down a slope from his patio, in a wooded area on the West side, so it provides afternoon shade for his patio in the Summer, but the leaves drop onto the forest floor in the early Fall.

The yellow flowers are quite unusual for a tree, of course. He does have seedlings everywhere, and I have dug up some quite small seedlings from his lawn and given them away to his neighbors who admired his tree, but he mostly just mows them down. He has allowed a few seedlings along a drainage ditch to grow up, along with oak and maple seedlings.

We have never considered it a "trash tree," and I've read that there are some famous gardens on old estates here in America under forests of widely spaced tulip trees. John Tradescant the Younger, son of John Tradescant the Elder, royal gardener to King Charles I of England, visited America in 1637, 1642 and 1654, bringing back many plants to England, including the tulip tree, where it became popular as an "avenue tree," lining long drives to great estates, chateaus and castles. So, as usual, Europeans are more appreciative of our native flora than we are.

I have two specimen Tulip Poplars at the front of my property, each side like sentinels - probably 70' tall. They have their uses, but are, as previous comments indicate somewhat a trash tree. They all look alike. They, like almost all trees are "windfirm" if they grow on their own in the open. The ones that come crashing down are usually ones that were left from a forest when clearing was done for construction, etc.

Tree trimmers (not tree surgeons, just hired butchers) working for the power company regularly hack the front of my two trees. In defense I have grown wisteria in both trees to drape and soften the ugly faces at the street side.

This tree is very common in central New Jersey. I grew up wandering deep green glades, often, under the canopy of tulip poplars. It is a fast grower, one which often helps reclaim abandoned fields. It is also VERY popular with honey bees, producing a deep dark, very rich honey. I'd only recommend that one not plant it close to the house, as these trees can be susceptible to high winds (like in coming down)if the are not in a forest, surrounded by other trees, which break the force of the wind. This is a warning that my brother, who works with trees and landscapes, tells me whenever the subject arises. Yet I have seen some immense Tulip Poplars, standing alone, in fields, and they have been there for many years.

I live in Tennessee and this tree reminds me of an old littering campaign in this state called "Tennessee Trash". I have several of these on my five acres and too many near the house where we have lawn area. By the first of August every year whether it rains or is dry hot or cool this tree looks like October and is littering the yard and pool not to mention the gutters on my house.

I like the fact that they are fast growing but this is becoming a real problem. We have to start raking long before fall. I wonder if I can save these giant litter bugs or just remove them.

So far I have had great success with my tree. I live in Pymatuning Pennsylvania (U.S.) and the tree is about 40-50 feet tall. I do not know if this is true but I was told they had to be 10 years or older before they will produce tulips.

It came with a cottage I bought and I was very amazed when it bloomed tulips on the third year I was there (1999), when it was ten years old. I now look at this tree as I come out the front door and I notice the tulips right away because I have massive brances starting at about 4 feet up the tree and they produce a large amount of tulips, unlike what else I read about the tree.

I read that they only produce flowers on upper branches. Also some of the leaves on this tree are very large. At this time the tree is producing major seeds. I am trying to get the exact details on what to do with the seed so I can insure that this tree is reporduced. It is the best-looking tree in my entire large yard and I want another one or two, but further from the house.

I am a little concerned about the eventual height of the tree - up to 111' tall and 31 feet around. I am afraid I will have to cut this tree down eventually and would like to have more of them started. I encourage anyone with the room to grow this tree for both the beautiful tulips and good looking leaves.

We have just moved from England to the Dordogne in France. We have this great park land in front of the house on it we saw this great tree, the flower were big and many were on the top branches.

This was a new kind of tree for us to see, it is over 70ft tall and looks so beautiful. If anyone in France has one like this I would like to hear from them, as I would very much like to grow another one from the seeds on the bottom branches.

Very tall and fast growing and one of the best shade trees for the deep south. Its leaves turn a very handsome shade of gold in the fall. Can be grown from seed, but difficult to transplant from the wild. Has a huge, columner trunk. Seems to like moist, well-drained soil. Leave may turn yellow from drought.

I had one of these in my front yard for 30 years. The aphids love it. It was an unfortunate choice by the city as THE landscape tree for a very long street. The aphid "doo" was so thick that it was like walking in light rain. Under each tree was a sticky dark goo. The only cure was a professionally applied systemic, which the city (who owned the trees) was very reluctant to use.

This tree grows tall and straight.The unusual flowers were the inspiration for the common name; they're shaped much like a tulip with greenish-yellow petals blushed with orange on the inside. Because they generally are found high in the leaf canopy, the flowers often go unnoticed until they drop off after pollination. The leaves of this tree are also quite distinct, with a large, v-shaped notch at the tip .The tuliptree can reach as tall as 190 feet where it's allowed to thrive, but it is more likely to reach 70 feet in height as a mature landscape specimen.