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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera

Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar, Tuliptree

Scientific Name:

Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera

Genus:

Liriodendron

Species Epithet:

tulipifera

Common Name:

Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar, Tuliptree

Plant Type

Tree

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Magnoliaceae (Magnolia Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

More than 100 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

Orange, Yellow, Green

Light:

Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Dry, Moist

Bloom Time:

April, May, June

Growing Area:

Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

Common in mesic forests, cove forests in the mountains to at least 1500m in elevation, bottomland forests and swamps. Coastal Plain Tulip-tree, Southern Yellow Poplar; uncommon in blackwater swamps, streamhead pocosins in the fall-line sandhills (Weakley 2015). Common throughout NC.

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

Important for Wildlife

Landscape Value:

Highly Recommended and Available

State Rank:

S5: Secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G_T_: Subspecies or Variety Rank (add status to NOTES section) (*Key)

Notes:

The tulip tree is one of the largest of the native trees of the eastern United States, known to reach the height of 190 feet (58 m), with a trunk 10 feet (3 m) in diameter.

Global Rank G5TNR

Flower

Despite the common names, it is closely related to Magnolias and is not in the Populus genus.

image

Jack Spruill, Hampstead, April 29, 2009

Branch with persistent, scaly, cone-like fruit in background of photo.

The pale brown, persistent fruits are a good identification mark in winter.

image

Jack Spruill, Hampstead, April 29, 2009

Note the distinctive shape of the leaf.

Bark of young tree

image

Bark of a mature tree

The tall, straight, light-colored trunk is a good ID mark. Older bark has flat-topped ridges and whitish valleys. The lumber is used for furniture and veneer because of its strength, porosity, and light weight.

image

Cary Paynter, Wilmington, Feb 2011

Terminal bud having emerged from the 2 outer bud scales and a new leaf recently emerged from a lateral bud in early spring

Orange County, NC

The Scientific Name is Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera. You will likely hear them called Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar, Tuliptree. This picture shows the  Terminal bud having emerged from the 2 outer bud scales and a new leaf recently emerged from a lateral bud in early spring of Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera

Bettina Darveaux

Winter branches loaded with the remnants of last years persistent fruit (a conelike structure consisting of many winged samaras on a central stalk)

Orange County, NC

The Scientific Name is Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera. You will likely hear them called Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar, Tuliptree. This picture shows the Winter branches loaded with the remnants of last years persistent fruit (a conelike structure consisting of many winged samaras on a central stalk) of Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera

Bettina Darveaux

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record



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