Start growing
Needs rich, moist soil and lots of space. Full sun.
GROW SOMETHING WONDERFUL
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
Your guide to planting, growing, and getting to know this plant.
THE PLANT NOTEBOOK
Tulip Tree care, from seed onward.
- Botanical name
- Liriodendron tulipifera
- Common names
- Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar
- Family
- Magnoliaceae
- Genus
- Liriodendron
- Species
- L. tulipifera
Growing with your kit
Watch the tulip-shaped leaf unfold in your Seeds In A Cup® kit—a unique botanical form!
Propagation
By seed (low germination rate naturally).
Seasonal growth & harvest
Blooms in late spring; flowers are held high in the canopy. Rapid growth.
Growing conditions
Moist, deep, fertile soils on mountain slopes and in valleys.
Weather & tolerances
Low drought and salt tolerance; high pollution tolerance.
Pests & plant health
Tulip tree scale and aphids.
Plant safety
Safe for humans and pets.
Botanical features
One of the tallest deciduous trees in North America. Features tulip-shaped green/orange flowers and large 4-lobed leaves.
Varieties
‘Fastigiatum’ (Columnar).
Garden & everyday uses
Lightweight, stable wood used for furniture backing and organ pipes. Major nectar source for honey
Native range & distribution
Eastern North America.
Conservation
Secure.
Name origins
Greek ‘leirion’ (lily) and ‘dendron’ (tree) – the lily-tree.
History
Daniel Boone used a massive Tulip Tree trunk to carve a 60-foot canoe for his move to Missouri.