SCIENTIFIC NAME: Liriodendron tulipifera

COMMON NAME: Tulip tree

GARDEN SIZE: 60.00 to 90.00 feet tall x 30.00 to 50.00 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Fast (up to 3-5 ft. per year under ideal conditions)

USDA ZONE: 4 to 9

EXPOSURE: Full sun, tolerates part shade

WATER & SOIL: Medium water needs; best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained loams. Tolerates clay soil, wet soil, and black walnut.

HABIT (FORM): Pyramidal to broad conical habit, with column-like trunks and absence of lower branching in mature trees

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; four-lobed bright green leaves that turn golden yellow in fall

FLOWERS: Yellow with an orange band at the base of each petal, cup-shaped, tulip-like, blooming in May to June; showy but often inconspicuous due to the large size of the tree

PLANT ORIGIN: Eastern North America

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Host plant for local butterflies and moths.

FERTILIZING: May apply organic compost in the spring.

PRUNING: No pruning is necessary. If shaping is desired, birch may be trimmed during dormancy.

TOXICITY FLAGS: Not generally considered toxic to pets.

USES: Shade tree, Specimen