+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ## tulip poplar {#tulip-poplar .Title-Header}                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| *Liriodendron tulipifera* L.                                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Plant Symbol = LITU                                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Contributed by: USDA NRCS New York State Office

![Color image of Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron
tulipifera)](media/image2.png){width="3.0in" height="2.0in"}**Alternate
Names**

yellow-poplar, tulip magnolia, tulip tree, whitewood

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

The wood of tulip poplar is moderately light, soft, brittle, moderately
weak, and is very easily worked. It is used for furniture stock, veneer
and pulpwood.

Tulip poplar makes a desirable street, shade, or ornamental tree but the
large size it attains makes it unsuited for many sites. Its good points
for aesthetic use are: (1) rapid growth (2) pyramidal form (3)
resistance to insect and disease damage (4) unusual leaves and
attractive flowers, and (5) yellow autumnal color.

This species has some wildlife value. The fruits provide food for
squirrels in the late fall and winter months, and the white-tailed deer
often browse on the twigs.

Tulip poplar is planted for reforestation purposes because of its rapid
growth and the commercial importance of its wood, and is often planted
as an ornamental. Tulip poplar and white pine were the largest trees in
the eastern forest.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

Tulip poplar actually is not a poplar, but a member of the magnolia
family. The leaves are tulip-shaped, alternate, and simple. The leaf is
smooth on both surfaces, dark green and lustrous above, pale and often
with a slight whitish bloom beneath.

Twigs are moderately stout, olive-brown, to reddish brown, very smooth
and usually lustrous; the large terminal bud has two large duck-bill
shaped scales.

Tulip poplar produces tulip-shaped, light greenish-yellow flowers from
April to June. It is a prolific seed bearer but has a low percent
germination. The cone shaped fruit clusters usually persist on branches.
There are about 12,000 seeds per pound.

The bark on younger trunks and branches is quite smooth, light ashy-gray
with very shallow, longitudinal, whitish furrows. With age the bark
becomes very thick, having deep interlacing furrows and rather narrow
rounded ridges.

This tree is rapid growing, attaining heights of 80-120 feet and a trunk
diameter of 2 to 5 feet. Young trees have a pyramidal form.

##### Adaptation and Distribution {#adaptation-and-distribution .Header-3}

Tulip poplar is exacting in soil and moisture requirements. It does best
on moderately moist, deep, well drained, loose textured soils; it rarely
grows well in very dry or very wet situations. It will tolerate a pH of
4.5 to 7.5.

Tulip poplar is distributed throughout the east and southeast portions
of the United States. For a current distribution map, please consult the
Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Natural regeneration of tulip poplar is usually by stump sprouts and
seed. Regeneration from seed requires a seedbed of mineral soil,
adequate soil moisture, sufficient direct sunlight for early growth;
seedlings are intolerant of shade.

Forest plantings are planted at spacings ranging from 6\' x 7\' to 10\'
x 10\'. One year old nursery grown seedlings are used.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

The rapid growth of tulip poplar can present a challenge to other tree
species in a mixed stand. This should influence the numbers of tulip
poplar included in a mixed planting for conservation purposes, and may
require thinning to maintain the values provided by other species.
Moderate thinnings at 8-10 year intervals are recommended for timber
production.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Tulip poplar is unusually free from insects and disease. The
yellow-poplar weevil, nectria canker, and fusarium canker are three of
the more important enemies of this species.

This species is prone to wind damage and ice damage in exposed
situations.

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

There are selections from tree nurseries.

##### Prepared By & Species Coordinator:  {#prepared-by-species-coordinator .Header-3}

*John Dickerson* (retired), USDA NRCS New York State Office, Syracuse,
New York

##### 

##### Edited: 05Feb2002 JLK; 060802 jsp {#edited-05feb2002-jlk-060802-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*