Tulip Tree
Liriodendron tulipifera · Magnoliaceae (Magnolia family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Distinctly four-lobed with a truncate or squared-off apex, resembling the silhouette of a tulip flower or a fiddle.
Margin
Entire (smooth, unbroken edge without teeth or serrations)
Arrangement
Alternate along the twig
Venation
Pinnate with prominent primary midrib and secondary veins branching outwards, plus reticulate finer veinlets.
Key Features
Instantly recognizable by its unique four-lobed leaves with a squared-off or notched tip, duck-bill shaped winter buds, and tall, straight trunk.
Description
The Tulip Tree is one of the tallest and most majestic native hardwoods in North America, often growing straight and tall with deeply furrowed brown bark. It produces remarkable cup-shaped greenish-yellow and orange flowers resembling tulips in late spring, followed by upright, cone-like aggregate fruits containing winged samaras.
Habitat
Deep, rich, moist, and well-drained loamy soils of bottomlands and lower mountain slopes. Prefers full sun to partial shade.
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, stretching from southern Ontario and New England west to Michigan and Missouri, and south to Florida and Louisiana. Widely planted as a shade tree worldwide.