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Facts on the Tulip Poplar Tree
Facts on the Tulip Poplar Tree. Two facets of the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) give the tree its name. The flowers of tulip poplar, also called tulip tree or yellow poplar, resemble those of the tulip, while the leaves have a distinct tulip silhouette.
Two facets of the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) give the tree its name. The flowers of tulip poplar, also called tulip tree or yellow poplar, resemble those of the tulip, while the leaves have a distinct tulip silhouette.
Size
Tulip poplar easily grows to heights between 80 and 120 feet, making it one of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Much taller tulip poplar specimens grew in the North American forests before European settlement, notes the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees.
Geography
The tulip poplar's native range is from southern New England to mid-Florida, west to the Great Plains. The tree is a naturalized species in portions of the far West along the Pacific Coast.
Uses
Landscapers employ tulip poplar as a street tree or shade tree, but only in areas where the tree has room to grow. Tulip poplar is disease and pest-resistant. Its seeds attract wildlife, including birds and small mammals.
Growing Conditions
Tulip poplars grow as much as 2 to 3 feet each year when young, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The trees require somewhat acidic soil that drains well. They do not tolerate dry conditions or wet ground, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Misconceptions
Despite the name "tulip poplar," Liriodendron tulipifera belongs to the magnolia family -- a group that includes the southern magnolia -- rather than the poplar family, which includes the aspens and cottonwoods.
