tulip tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size50 to 90 feet tall25 to 40 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Yellow with orange band at petal bases
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a tree for specimen planting, pollinator gardens, and low maintenance landscapes. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Tulip-like yellow-orange flowers open high in the crown, and hummingbirds visit them. The waxy leaves turn bright gold in fall. It sits low on the menu for deer and rabbits. Give it deep, rich soil and room to grow, since it is somewhat weak-wooded.
Pairs well with Spicebush, Witch hazel, and Indian grass.
Native range
North America.