Yellow Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera

Liriodendron tulipifera, or Yellow Poplar, is a deciduous tree that may grow 90 to 120 feet tall and takes its name from its greenish-yellow heartwood and attractive tulip-like flowers. 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 an aggregate of overlapping samaras which separate at maturity in the late fall. The trunks of mature trees may reach 4 to 6 feet in diameter, usually rising column-like with an absence of lower branches; the greenish-yellow heartwood does not develop until the tree reaches about 2 feet in diameter. It has been known to reach 200 feet in height with a trunk diameter of 8 to 10 feet.  The crown is compact, pyramidal, and often tapers sharply at the top.

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. There are many cultivars available including smaller forms of this plant. Yellow Poplar are found throughout North Carolina and do best in deep, moist soils along streams and in lower mountain coves.

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. 

Liriodendron tulipifera can be pruned and kept at shrub size by cutting them to the ground every 2-3 years.

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:  This plant has pest and disease 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.

VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University.