Yellow Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- leer-ee-oh-DEN-dron too-lip-ih-FER-ah
- Description
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Yellow-Poplar is a deciduous tree that may grow 90 to 120 feet tall. The tree has alternate, palmately veined, 4-lobed leaves with a smooth margin. The bark is smooth and dark green on young trees. As the tree ages, wide, white furrows that separate flat ridges develop. In late spring, 2.5-inch flowers with yellow-green petals and an orange corolla mature. The tree produces and aggregate of overlapping samaras which separate at maturity in the late fall. The trunks of mature trees may reach 4-6’ in diameter, usually rising column-like with an absence of lower branches. The bark is smooth and dark green on young trees. As the tree ages, wide, white furrows that separate flat ridges develop. This tree prefers moist, well-drained soil, full sun, and slightly acidic soil (even though it is pH adaptable). This tree is sensitive to heat and drought, and has a low compaction tolerance. To plant, it needs a large area. This plant does best in natural areas. It can have superb fall color of yellow to golden yellow but leaves abscise prematurely. This plant has pest and disease problems. There are many cultivars available including smaller forms of this plant.
The flowers of the Yellow poplar are followed by dry, scaly, oblong, cone-shaped brown fruits, each bearing numerous winged seeds. This plant is found naturally in mesic forests, cove forests at at least 1500' in elevation, bottomland forests, and swamps.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Seasons of Interest:
Leaves: Fall Bloom: Spring Fruit/Seed/Nut: Fall
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Scale. Large aphid infestations result in honeydew secretions on the leaves that provide the growing medium for sooty mold. Verticillium wilt, mold, mildew, and canker are possible diseases. Fast-growing means they are weak-wooded, and susceptible to limb breakage in high winds or from ice/snow. Shallow root systems do limit the types of plants that may be grown within the drip line. Rabbits eat the buds and inner bark of young trees.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Arnold'
- 'Fastigiatum'
- 'Little Volunteer'
- 'Arnold'
- 'Arnold', 'Fastigiatum', 'Little Volunteer'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Arnold'
- 'Fastigiatum'
- 'Little Volunteer'
- 'Arnold'
- 'Arnold', 'Fastigiatum', 'Little Volunteer'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Liriodendron
- Species:
- tulipifera
- Family:
- Magnoliaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Wood from the Yellow Poplar is somewhat weak and is used for furniture, plywood, boatbuilding, veneer, paper pulp, and general lumber.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Distribution:
- Vermont west to Michigan and Ontario west to Iowa south to Texas east to Florida north up through New England.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Larval host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and birds like cedar waxwings feed on the nectar from flowers. White-tailed deer, gray squirrels, and some songbirds eat the flowers in the spring.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire. White-tailed deer browse the foliage and twigs, but this tree is considered to be moderately deer resistant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 70 ft. 0 in. - 130 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Oval
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The tree produces and aggregate of fused, cone-like samaras (2-3" long, 3/4" wide) which turn brown separate at maturity throughout the winter. Oblong aggregate of samaras. Fruit is available September-October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Orange
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The Yellow Poplar has cup shaped, upright, fragrant yellow flowers with 6 green to yellow petals in 2 rows with an orange center that somewhat resembles a tulip. Flowers have numerous stamens and pistils are fused. Flowers have 3 reflexed sepals. Although the flowers are 1.5-2” in length, they can go unnoticed on large trees because the flowers appear after the leaves are fully developed. Sometimes the flowers are first noticed when the attractive petals begin to fall below the tree. Flowers bloom April-June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The Yellow Poplar has alternate, simple, palmately veined leaves with a smooth margin. Leaves have 3 main lobes. The apical love is broad and truncated, and lateral lobes have smaller lobes near the rounded or truncated base. Has a 2-4" petiole. Some leaves will turn yellow and drop during drought. The bright green leaves (3-8” across and wide) with paler undersides turn golden yellow in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Green
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark is smooth and dark green on young trees. As the tree ages, wide, orange-brown furrows that separate flat ridges develop and bark color becomes brownish-gray. Rabbits eat the inner bark of young trees.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are green to reddish brown and have distinct stipular scars circumventing nodes. Buds are oval, flattened, green to reddish-brown in color, are shaped like a duck's bill, and terminal buds are at most 1/2" long.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Rabbits
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
