Liriodendron tulipifera
Growing Information
• Plant Type: Tree
• Sunlight: Sun
• Soils: Average moisture
• Bloom Time: June
• Size: Tall
Considered a shade tree, the tulip tree is one of the tallest hardwoods in North America. It gets its name from the shape of its flower and the shape of the leaf looks like the outline of a tulip. If out in the open, the shape of the tree is pyramidal. This tree is fast growing and can live 175 years.
Garden Companions
Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa); American Hazelnut (Corylus americana); Anise-scented Goldenrod (Solidago odoro); Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum); Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Nature Benefits
• Host for 20 species of moth and butterfly caterpillars, including the tulip tree silk moth.
• Ruby-throated hummingbirds and bees seek out the flowers for early season forage.
• Seeds mature in summer and persist into winter, providing food for both birds and mammals, including finches, cardinals, quail, and small mammals.
Native Habitat
Occurs in lowlands and gentle sloping hillsides.
Photos
