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Tulip tree (yellow poplar)
Habit (mature) · High Contrast / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 DE
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Tulip tree (yellow poplar)
Liriodendron tulipifera
One of the tallest native hardwoods in eastern North America (reaching 200 feet in old-growth) with tulip-shaped greenish-yellow flowers (4-lobed leaves with notched tips give the species its name from the leaf shape, not just the flower). The canonical larval host for eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) per NC State, plus a major early-summer honey plant. Massive scale and weak wood make tulip tree unsuited to small lots — it's a tree for parks, woodlots, and naturalized areas.
Native: 29 US states + 1 CA province
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: broad (83/100)
Focal point
Structure
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
960-1440" tall · 600" apart
Hardy in zones
4a-9b
very cold to frosty winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Hot
cool to hot summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
Yes
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A documented larval host for the Eastern tiger swallowtail and 1 other species — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Tulip tree (yellow poplar) (Liriodendron tulipifera). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/tulip-tree
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
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Regional guidance
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Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY 3.0 DE
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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