Island Ecology for Educators 2019

The Tulip Poplar Tree

Avery Owen & Cassie Pham

Meet the tallest hardwood tree in eastern North America: the tulip poplar.

The tulip poplar tree is a beautiful tree that is native to South Eastern America, but most particularly in the mountains such as the Southern Appalachian. In the fall, the leaves turn a beautiful golden hue, this gives an incredible contrast with the reds, oranges, and browns of fall foliage. Contrary to belief, the tulip poplar is actually not a poplar and is part of the magnolia family (USDA, 2002). It is also the state tree of Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. To identify them, USDA (2002) point out that the tulip poplar has distinct tulip-shaped leaves and flowers and are great shade trees. They can grow to massive heights very quickly, with some towering 120 to 150 feet high, and trunks that are 20 feet in circumference, and 8 to 10 feet in diameter (Downing , 2007).

Pictures taken by Kevin Cramer at UNC-Asheville

These pictures depict the identification of the tulip poplar at the end of spring. The flower is also identified as tulip-shaped that is yellow with an orange band. The flower will be shown in the video attached. As shown below, they can grow to great heights!

Scientific name: Liriodendron tulipifera

Common name: Tulip Poplar Tree

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Anthophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Magnoliales

Family: Magnoliaceae

Genus: Liriodendron

Species: L. tulipifera

The tulip poplar is actually not a poplar or a tulip, but closer in relation to a magnolia in phylogeny. The Magnolioideae family of flowering woody trees and shrubs have simple alternate leaves and a bud protected by seasonal stipules. The tulip poplar is one of only two species in the Liriodedron genus, which is Greek for "lily tree" (Anderson, 2017).

Image of taxonomy from (National Plant Data Center, 2000).

Niche and Habitat

The tulip poplar lives in deciduous forest areas, which means that the tree grows alongside other trees that shed leaves in the winter to increase energy use efficiency. The tulip poplar tree grows very rapidly and creates new homes or habitats for creatures both large and small. The tree's protective canopy houses songbird nests. In the tree's younger stages, it may house small mammals and deer (Trimboli, 2016). The red-cockaded woodpecker, an endangered species, prefers to live in the tulip poplar (Scott, 1991). The tulip poplar is also the only tree that houses the tulip tree silkmoth and the tiger swallowtail (Trimboli, 2016).

The tulip tree provides food to many birds and rodents through seeds. It produces seeds in the form of fruit clusters from an age of 15-20 to an age of over 200 years old. To attract pollinators, the tree uses brightly colored red or orange rings around the base of the flower. Its nectar is especially favorable among hummingbirds and bees.

In Carolina Beach State Park, tulip poplars are found throughout the lower elevation swamp forest and the higher elevation mixed hardwood forests. The tulip tree's large flowers can be seen in the late spring at the park (UNCW Island Ecology, 2017).

Image of Range from (Dickerson, 2002).

The tulip poplar can be found throughout the eastern US and Canada. The tree prefers a very specific environment, accepting a pH range of 4.5-7.5 and tolerating only moist, deep, and loose soils (Dickerson, 2002). Seedlings prefer full sunlight. Success of new seeds is determined by these local conditions. Because of this small range of acceptable conditions for growth, the plant is restricted to the areas in green on the map.

Evolutionary History

Though the tulip poplar thrives in areas with deeper and well-drained soils, the tree has many evolutionary adaptations that allow it to survive in a wide range of conditions. It prefers acidic soil, but has a wider pH acceptability range of 4.5-7.5 (Dickerson, 2002). It is adapted to a range of course and medium textured soils. The tree's growth rate is rapid and it produces many thousands of seeds per pound, creating a higher likelihood of reproductive success (USDA, 2002). Seeds open in fire or by cutting to sprout from dormant buds (Griffith, 1991). As mentioned before, the tulip tree has adapted to grow a lovely, brightly colored ring around the base of its flowers in order to attract pollinators.

The tulip poplar is great at surviving some tough conditions! The tree can tolerate heavy rain to near-drought conditions, from 30 to 80 inches of rain per year. Being a deciduous tree, the tulip poplar can shed its leaves in the winter to conserve energy and "shut down" until warmer weather returns. It can withstand temperatures as low as -18 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA, 2002). And, despite being such as massive tree, the tulip poplar can restrain root growth to only 32 inches. The tulip poplar is resistant to fire damage, but only as seeds and after reaching a certain size. Young trees and saplings less than 1 inch in diameter are easily killed by fires (Griffith, 1991). It is only when the tree's bark grows thicker than 0.5 inches can it properly protect the interior cambium from fires.

Image of Tulip Poplar Seeds from (Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History, 1986).

Environmental Impacts

This tree is of great importance to human industry, so the environmental impacts caused by humans are well managed. New tulip poplars are successfully planted in great numbers (USDA, 2002). However, there are several species of fungi and insects that can negatively impact the tree. Tulip poplars can be attacked by Verticillium wilt fungus, sassafras weevils, and aphids (sap-sucking insects) (University of Kentucky, 2019). Surprisingly, this tree is usually free of infestations or parasites. Storm events causing rapid winds or quickly dropping and severe temperatures can cause severe damage (USDA, 2002).

Conservation

Tulip poplar is planted for reforestation purposes because of it's fast growth and the economic importance of it's wood, which is used for furniture, flooring, and fencing (USDA, 2002). Wood magazine states that the uses for it's wood is so versatile, no other hardwood can compare! Before colonization, Onondaga Indians would purpose the wood for canoes and utensils. After colonization, the settlers began to utilize the wood intensively and craft items such as boxes and baskets (Wood Magazine, 2017). USDA also states that the tulip poplar makes a great street tree to beautify the area and is often planted as an ornamental. With the combination of being a very attractive tree and used for wood, this tree is doing well and there is no concern in regards to human influence.

Friends or Foes?

Naturally, other native plants coexist with the Tulip poplar. Another native plant of North Carolina, Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), is a great hardwood for tulip poplar to coexist with since it's better for the Tulip poplar to be near other hardwood trees. In the mountains near Asheville, NC, however, there are multiple invasive flora that is threatening to take over the mountains, such as Japanese Honeysuckle and Chinese Privet. This results in negative competition with the Tulip poplar and other native trees.

Resources For Teachers

1. This website shows how to purchase and plant a tulip poplar and includes a list of tree's preferred growing conditions. (https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=930)

2. This article shares the story of the interactions of the tulip poplar and an inchworm that prefers to live there. (https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=930)

3. This website shares a list of fun facts about the tulip poplar. (http://treeserviceofnashville.com/fun-facts-about-the-tennessee-state-tree-the-tulip-poplar/)

4. This website shows a complete list of how society's use tulip poplar, from furniture to medicinal uses. (https://survivalsherpa.wordpress.com/tag/medicinal-uses-of-tulip-poplar/)

5. This incredible video shows a time lapse of a tulip poplar flowering. (https://vimeo.com/4807297)

Resources

Anderson, C. 19 May 2017. Tree of the Month - Tulip Poplar [Liriodendron tulipifera], https://whitehousenatives.com/news/tree-month-tulip-poplar/.

Downing, Bob. “Mighty Trees Stand Tall in North Carolina Forest.” Gazette, 20 July 2007, www.post-gazette.com/life/travel/2007/07/20/Mighty-trees-stand-tall-in-North-Carolina-forest/stories/200707200305.

Gilman EF, Watson DG. 1993. Liriodendron tulipifera. US Forest Service Department of Agriculture. http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/lirtula.pdf. Fact sheet.

Griffith, R., 2002. Fire Effects Information System Index of Species Information, https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/lirtul/all.html.

National Plant Data Center, NRCS, USDA. 2000. Liriodendron tulipifera. Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. http://plants.usda.gov.

Staff, WOOD Magazine. “Yellow Poplar.” WOOD Magazine, WOOD Magazine, 1 May 2017, www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/lumber/wood-species-3/yellow-poplar.

University of Kentucky - College of Agriculture. Liriodendron tulipifera. http://www.uky.edu/hort/sites/www.uky.edu.hort/files/pages-attachments/liriodenprint.pdf. Fact sheet.

USDA, and NRCS. TULIP POPLAR, 5 Feb. 2002, www.plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_litu.pdf.

Trimboli, S., 11 May 2006. Tulip poplars – A source of abundant nectar and pollen for Kentucky pollinators, https://www.shannontrimboli.com/tulip-poplars-a-source-of-abundant-nectar-and-pollen-for-kentucky-pollinators/

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