Tulip Tree
Scientific name: Liriodendron tulipifera
This is one of the easiest trees to identify! It is also the tallest hardwood tree in the region, reaching up to 190 feet tall. There are a few give-aways; 1. It is of an even circumference from top to bottom, like a telephone pole. It is self pruning, shedding its lower branches as it grows. 2. It is straight from top to bottom. 3. Its leaf is distinctive, unlike that of any other tree. This tree has several other common names such as poplar, yellow poplar and tulipwood.
Leaves
Its large leaves (up to six inches) are quite distinctive with four wide lobes. It looks a bit like a maple leaf with the top cut off! They turn a vibrant yellow in fall.
Fruit
Unique woody brown fruit that resembles a cone, containing seeds. These as a valuable food source for birds.
Flowers
In spring this tree produces large, beautiful flowers up to 2 inches in diameter with greenish yellow petals and a touch of orange at the base. The shape is similar to that of the tulip, giving this tree its common name.
Why Not...
Plant one is a sunny spot. They grow up to 2 feet a year, produce flowers in spring and have great fall color. The seeds are eaten by at least ten different kinds of birds.
Habitat
It likes a shady spot with deep, rich and very moist soil.
Leaves
Its large leaves (up to six inches) are quite distinctive with four wide lobes. It looks a bit like a maple leaf with the top cut off! They turn a vibrant yellow in fall.
Bark
Light grey and smooth in a young tree, becoming furrowed with age. An interesting characteristic is that the bark between the furrows is flat.
Fruit
Unique woody brown fruit that resembles a cone, containing seeds. These as a valuable food source for birds.
Flowers
In spring this tree produces large, beautiful flowers up to 2 inches in diameter with greenish yellow petals and a touch of orange at the base. The shape is similar to that of the tulip, giving this tree its common name.
Ecosystem Connections
The flowers are a good source of nectar and are enjoyed by bees and hummingbirds.
Human Connections
Due to the fact that the wood is so straight, it has been used for fence poles and railroad ties. George Washington planted them at his estate in Mt. Vernon, VA where they can still be seen today!
Did you Know?
This tree can live up to 300 years. And it has deep roots!
Tulip Tree Flower
Beautiful Fall Color
See How the Seed Develops
Straight and Tall!
More on Trees and Shrubs in Lewisboro
Lewisboro was once entirely forested except for patches of open field caused by fire and wetlands and ponds which were expanded by beaver dams. Although it is hard to believe, by 1800 most of Lewisboro’s forests had been cut down and replaced by farms. In 1820 so many trees had been cleared that there was no shade anywhere along the route from Boston to New York.[1] But by the mid-1800’s farming here became uneconomical and as farms were abandoned, the forests began to re-grow. Today, 70% of New York is once again forest, what some call ‘the great environmental story of the United States’[2]. These new forests provide us with beauty and recreation, clean air and water, flood control, erosion prevention, carbon sequestration, cooler temperatures and habitat for other plants, insects, birds and other wildlife.
[1] Cronon, William. Changes in the Land. Macmillan, 1983.
[2] An Explosion of Green. B. Mckibben. Atlantic Monthly 275 (April 1995): 61-83.