What tree species is commonly called the tulip tree in eastern North America?

Liriodendron tulipifera is the tree commonly called the tulip tree in eastern North America. It is also known as tulip poplar, yellow-poplar, tulipwood and whitewood, although it is not a true poplar.

The species belongs to the magnolia family and is one of only two living species in the genus Liriodendron. Its large greenish-yellow flowers have an orange band and a superficial resemblance to tulips, which explains the common name. Its distinctive leaves have a broad, squared-off tip and several lobes.

The tree’s native range extends from southern Ontario and the northeastern United States southward to Florida and Louisiana. It thrives in deep, moist soils and can grow extremely tall; exceptional trees in the Appalachian region exceed 50 metres. It is also the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

A frequent mistake is to identify it as a poplar because of the name “tulip poplar.” True poplars belong to the genus Populus, whereas Liriodendron is more closely related to magnolias. The similarly named Chinese tulip tree, Liriodendron chinense, is a separate species native to China and Vietnam.