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A large canopy tree with tulip-shaped flowers and distinctive, broad-tipped leaves.
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
22CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY
Genus host records with ranges including KY · Liriodendron
- Callosamia prometheaPromethea Moth
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Actias lunaLuna Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Callosamia anguliferaTulip-Tree Silkmoth
- Epimecis hortariaTulip-Tree Beauty
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Euzophera ostricolorellaTulip-Tree Borer, Root Collar borer
Show all 22
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
- Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
- Paralobesia liriodendranaTulip-Tree Leaftier
- Perimede erransellaGray Perimede
- Phyllocnistis liriodendronellaMagnolia Serpentine Leafminer
- Polygonia interrogationisQuestion Mark
- Scolecocampa liburnaDead-Wood Borer
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
2BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Liriodendron
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Liriodendron
- Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Hummingbirds — Visit flowers for nectar
Cedar waxwing — Feeds on flower nectar
No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Magnoliaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–9b
- Soil pH
- Acidic
- Flower color
- Yellow, green or orange
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Growth habit
- Single stem
- Foliage color
- Green
- Fruit begins
- Summer
- Fruit ends
- Summer
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Reserve a generous site. Protect roots from compaction; drought and heat can stress the tree. NC State Extension
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “Mid spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Flower color · “Yellow, green or orange” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit ends · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “80–120 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “30–60 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Recognizing it
Four-lobed leaves have a squared-off tip. Green-yellow flowers carry orange bands near their bases. Identification source
Also known as
Tulip Poplar; Tulip Tree; Yellow Poplar
Conservation status
| Kentucky rank | S5 |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| KY status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your spot?
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Sources
- tnky_atlas
- usda
- nc_flora
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications
- NC State Extension