Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera · Magnoliaceae (Magnolia family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Distinctly four-lobed with a truncate or slightly notched apex, resembling a silhouette of a tulip flower or a duck's foot
Margin
Entire (smooth) edges without teeth
Arrangement
Alternate along the twigs
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent midrib and a reticulate network of secondary veins
Key Features
Unmistakable four-lobed, square-cut leaf apex, distinctive terminal stipule scars surrounding twigs, and deeply furrowed grayish bark
Description
Liriodendron tulipifera is one of the tallest and most majestic native forest trees in eastern North America, often growing straight and columnar with furrowed gray bark. It produces showy, cup-shaped tulip-like greenish-yellow and orange flowers in late spring followed by cone-like aggregate fruits containing winged samaras
Habitat
Deep, rich, moist, and well-drained soils in bottomlands, coves, and lower mountain slopes, thriving in full sun to partial shade
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, spanning from southern Ontario south to central Florida, and west to Louisiana and Missouri