Can you identify this leaf?

2 years ago

In walking around the neighborhood, I saw a tree with these leaves on it....

Is this possibly a Tulip Tree? It had a tall very straight single trunk and the branching started high up. It's a mature tree and I'm bad at guessing distances but it looks like maybe 40-50ft tall.

Featured Answer

ViburnumValley central KY Bluegrass z6

2 years ago

You all have the right tree ID. Liriodendron tulipifera is the tallest species for eastern North America, with the potential to reach heights of 200' in favorable conditions. 75-100 feet is likely to be what can be expected in cultivated areas, though Massachusetts is at the far northeastern tip of its range.

It was one of Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr.'s favorite trees, so if you are in the Boston/Brookline area you might likely see some great examples of this species on sites he designed.

Tuliptree (often also called Tulip-poplar) has quite remarkable flowers - if you have an angle on being able to see them. They bloom while in full leaf, so the orange/yellow/greenish flowers are often hard to pick out from the leaves. Fragrance is going to be slight, and that's if you can even get your nose close. Best to look for them on lower branches of youthful trees which haven't reached their growth spurt.

You COULD endeavor to find a more compact selection called 'Little Volunteer'. It was selected by a fine Tennessee nurserymen from seedlings that were going to be understock for grafting named varieties like 'Arnold' or the variegated leaf forms.

Here's a good description of what this species can do in Kentucky...

https://www.uky.edu/hort/Tulip-Poplar

This is a handsome specimen on the University of Louisville campus, showing off in November 2006.

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Comments (7)

woodrose77
2 years ago
It does appear to be a Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) leaf. I think Tulip Trees get much taller than 50 ft., maybe close to a hundred feet tall.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA thanked woodrose77
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Thanks, I could be way off or the tree is not as mature yet. I'm on the fence about whether it is a good tree for my location. I'm just starting to make decisions for a screen along one lot line. For next spring. This tree wants full sun and moisture, which is not really what I have and I'm hoping for a little bit more punch with flowering and fragrance?
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prairiemoon2 z6b MA
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Viburnum Valley - One of the first gardening books I ever bought was on Trees. I just love them! And it is sad that I have such a small lot with so many really inferior trees around my lot, that I never could take advantage of adding all the beautiful trees, I would have liked to.

That tulip tree is so pretty. I love the straight trunk and the height at which the branching begins, that leaves so much headroom under the canopy.

Thank you for that information about Fredrick Law Olmsted. I’m sure that is where I first saw a Tulip Tree, in one of the Boston area public parks. And I’m sure they have one at the Arnold Arboretum. I just noticed they have been breeding the North American Tulip tree to the China Tulip tree. You’ve given me a great subject to spend more time researching.

The flowers are remarkable. So LARGE! Lol I’ve heard someone say recently that the flowers become so high up on the tree, it becomes difficult to see them.

One of the nurseries I would normally look for a tree, does have that ‘Little Volunteer’

https://www.westonnurseries.com/advice/plant-library/

With a height of 20ft and a spread of 12ft. It would fit the landscape here better, but, you lose that great head room under the canopy that I find so attractive. It’s described here as a high maintenance tree and should only be grown in full sun, which I cannot provide for it anywhere on my property.

So, I’m going to have to make a point to see it in one of the public gardens when it is in full bloom. I am going to look into one of it’s cousins, the yellow magnolia. I’ve seen a couple of examples of that in towns around me.
floraluk2
2 years ago
While large and remarkable the flowers are well nigh invisible being very similar in colour to the leaves and usually held high above the ground. I'm pretty sure most people don't see them at all unless they know to look carefully.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA thanked floraluk2
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
2 years ago
The only time I see the flowers is when they have fallen off, and are on the ground. I don't think I've ever seen them on a tree, even when I know they must be up there, somewhere.

BTW, the ones I know of are at least 100 ft tall, and the branching starts about 30 ft up.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
2 years ago
On woodland trees I agree with the high flower "problem".

We seem to do more open area planting of them in our yards and parks in stl. With some low sweeping branches left on we get to see the flowers.

To be fair and balanced: We build industrial parks in the floodplain though so it isn't like we're better.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA thanked Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis