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Magnoliaceae
Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
Strength, rural happiness, fame.
- Family
- Magnoliaceae
- Genus
- Liriodendron
- Native to
- Eastern North America
- Bloom season
- Late Spring, Early Summer
- Type
- Deciduous tree
- Height
- 20–35 m
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil
- Rich, deep, moist
- Water
- Moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 4–9
- Lifespan
- Very long-lived; trees over 500 years
Did you know
- The tulip tree is one of the tallest hardwoods in eastern North America, sometimes reaching over 60 m (200 ft) — the tallest specimens rival the height of California redwoods.
- Its yellow-green tulip-shaped flowers are easy to miss because they bloom at the very tops of the trees, often invisible from the ground.
- It's not a true tulip and not closely related to flowering tulips — but it's a member of the ancient magnolia family and dates back over 50 million years.
- George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both planted tulip trees at Mount Vernon and Monticello; some of the originals are still alive today.
- The flowers produce so much nectar that bees can fill an entire honey super from a single mature tree — yielding the prized dark, robust 'tulip poplar honey'.
Color meanings
Yellow
Quiet abundance