August 1996
Foliage: Deciduous broadleaf
Height: 70 to 90 feet
Spread: 35 to 50 feet
Shape: Upright
Large, smooth, tulip-shaped leaves turn yellow in the fall. Pale yellow, tulip-shaped flowers are produced in May.
Zone: 5 to 9
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Moisture: Wet to moist
Soil Type: Sandy, loam, or clay
pH Range: 3.7 to 6.5
Suggested uses for this plant include street tree, shade, and specimen plant.
Difficult to transplant.
Once established, it is a fast growing tree.
Move young plants with balled and burlapped
roots in the spring.
Plant in a location where it will have plenty of
room to develop.
Select a site with fertile, deep, moist soil.
Prune in the winter.
Easy to grow once established.
Susceptible to a number of pests, including
aphids and scale insects.
Leaves may turn yellow and drop during hot, dry
periods of midsummer, especially in the
Tidewater area.
Consult local sources, including historic or public gardens and arboreta, regarding cultivars and related species that grow well in your area.
Cultivars of LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA:
No important cultivars.
The Tuliptree is too large for the average-
sized yard and should be planted only where it
has ample growing space.
In the fall, a tulip-shaped portion of the
fruit remains on the tree to add interest during
the winter.
Tuliptree is worth looking for, although it is
not readily available.
The PRUNING SERIES videotape can be ordered
through your local Extension office.
The following Extension publications are
available through your local Extension office or
directly from:
Virginia Tech
Extension Distribution Center
112 Landsdowne St.
Blacksburg, VA 24061
#426-500 "Winter Injury to Trees and Shrubs"
#426-610 "Selecting Landscape Plants -
Shade Trees"
This material was developed by Carol Ness as part of the
Interactive Design and Development Project funded by the Kellogg
Foundation. Mary Miller, Project Director. Diane Relf, Content
Specialist, Horticulture. Copyright 1989 by VCE.