Emerald City Tulip Poplar

Tuliptree, Liriodendron tulipifera, is one of the largest-growing trees native to North America. It’s known for its impressive mature stature, tulip-like blossoms, brilliant yellow fall color, and unique leaf shape. Liriodendron tulipifera is known by many common names depending on your region. Aside from Tuliptree, other common names include Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar, and Tulip Magnolia. Despite some common names containing the word poplar, Tuliptree is not actually a poplar. Tuliptree is a member of the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae), whereas true poplars are members of the Willow family (Salicaceae).

The genus name Liriodendron comes from the Greek words ‘Leirion’, meaning “lily”, and ‘Dendron’, meaning “tree”. The specific epithet tulipifera means “tulip bearing” which refers to the flower form.

Tuliptree has a long history of being used by Native Americans as lumber or in constructing houses, furniture, paper, and baskets. The Cherokee used large Tuliptrees for dugout canoes, as the trunks could be large enough to make an entire canoe from a single log. It was an ideal tree for this purpose due to its long and straight growth habit. Although use as lumber was not as preferable as oaks and hickories, several qualities made Tuliptree desirable for crafting. The tree’s sheer height and characteristic straightness required fewer tools to process the wood into longboards and poles. Once cut, the wood is also resistant to warping and has a uniformly fine grain. The wood is also light and elastic, making it easy to work in various shapes and sizes.

Tuliptree is the state tree of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

Complete information on this species can be found at the source link below:
Information Source: https://kb.jniplants.com/tuliptree-liriodendron-tulipifera
Plant Source: Johnson’s Nursery