Tulip Trees, An Overview and Care Guide

By Jennifer Poindexter

Are you interested in growing tulip trees? These are unique, flowering trees that add great beauty in areas they’re given time and appropriate conditions to mature.

These trees take time to reach their maximum beauty and to bloom. However, with patience and understanding of how to care for these trees, you should see a gorgeous return on your investment.

If you need to know more about growing and caring for the tulip tree, you’re in the right place. I’m going to walk you through the basics of what you should know.

By providing the care it needs, you’re giving this tree every reason to thrive while growing under your care:

Growing Conditions for the Tulip Tree

The tulip tree is an interesting option to add to your landscape. Though you might assume it’s related to the tulip flower, this tree is actually part of the magnolia family.

It’s called a tulip tree due to its tulip-shaped blooms that stand out against the tree due to their yellow and orange colors.

Though these blooms are a gorgeous site, they don’t come easily. Most tulip trees don’t bloom until they’re fifteen years old or greater.

In these cases, you’ll see the blooms form on the upper canopy of the mature tree. These blooms are an excellent way to attract pollinators.

Plus, after the tree blooms, it produces cone-shaped fruit that develop wings. The foliage then turns a beautiful golden color during the autumn months.

Tulip trees are native to North America and can grow as tall as one hundred feet. These trees grow quickly and are known for growing as much as two feet per year.

Though these trees are hardy in planting zones four through nine, they should be planted with care. Tulip trees are known for having weak wood due to their fast growth.

Therefore, you shouldn’t plant them in areas with high winds as their branches could easily break and become a hazard.

So what do these trees need in areas where they’re a good growing option? Thankfully, not much. If you can supply a growing location with full sunlight and well-draining soil which remains evenly damp, you should be good to go.

Be sure to grow tulip trees in areas with milder climates as they struggle when grown in areas of high temperatures and humidity. They don’t handle drought well, either.

Now that you know a little more about the tulip tree, let’s discuss how to grow it.

How to Plant a Tulip Tree

There are two popular ways of growing a tulip tree. The first method is to purchase a tree from a local nursery.

If you select this option, be sure to pick a growing location which meets all the needs mentioned above. Should you plant multiple tulip trees at once, be sure to leave approximately forty feet between each tree.

Dig a hole deep enough for the root ball of the tree to sit comfortably. Place the tree in the hole and ensure it’s level with the ground.

Fill the hole partially with soil, pour approximately two gallons of water into the hole, and fill it the rest of the way with dirt. Press firmly around the base of the tree to be sure the soil is compact enough to hold the tree upright.

From there, provide care for the tree to encourage the roots to develop. The tree will need adequate moisture during this phase of its development.

Be sure to water the tree if it doesn’t receive an inch of water each week from nature during the first month or two after planting. It’s wise to transplant a tulip tree anywhere from spring through fall.

In most cases, we recommend planting in the fall because it gives the tree time to produce roots during the dormant season before the warmer months come along and encourage new growth.

Another method to growing a tulip tree is propagation from a cutting. During the fall months, remove a cutting from a mature tulip tree.

This cutting should be approximately two feet in length. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and place in a pot filled with well-draining soil.

Wet the soil and keep it moist over the next thirty days. Wrap the container in plastic to provide a greenhouse effect.

The plant should form roots in approximately one month. You may transplant the new tree outdoors the following spring after all threat of frost is over.

The final method to growing a tulip tree is from seed. Tulip tree seeds must go through the stratification process.

Therefore, it’s best to place the seeds in the freezer for approximately three months. From here, you may directly sow the seeds into their growing location in the spring when all threat of frost is over.

However, you may also start the seeds indoors (in a pot) with well-draining soil. Keep the soil evenly damp until the seeds sprout.

From there, provide adequate warmth and light. The tree can be transplanted outdoors the following spring after all threat of frost is over.

Something you should be mindful of when planting a tulip tree is that, though this tree isn’t toxic to most pets, it does produce a sticky sap.

You shouldn’t plant a tulip tree in areas where the sap can drip onto your car, patio, or other high traffic areas.

A tulip tree also produces a similar fragrance to that of a magnolia tree. Keep this in mind, when deciding whether or not to plant this tree as some people enjoy this fragrance but others don’t.

You now have three methods for growing a tulip tree. Pick the option which works best for your current gardening abilities and set-up and begin working towards adding this tree to your landscape.

Caring for a Tulip Tree

The tulip tree isn’t considered a high-maintenance tree, but it does have a few things it needs from you. To begin, ensure you water the tulip tree.

It’s important that this tree receives consistent moisture as this can cause the tree to drop its leaves prematurely.

Be mindful this tree can’t handle salt, so it won’t be a good fit to grow in a coastal area.

It’s best to water a tulip tree deeply. Apply water to the plant for longer periods of time, fewer days of the week.

From there, wait until the top three inches of the soil are dry. You may test this by inserting your finger into the soil next to the tree.

When it’s dry to your second knuckle, it’s time to water the tree deeply again. This is especially important during the summer and fall months.

It’s wise to mulch around the base of a tulip tree as well. This helps the tree retain necessary moisture.

Be mindful that you only mulch the ground around the tree. Otherwise, this could lead to volcano mulching which causes more harm than good.

Tulip trees should be fertilized one time per year for the first three years of life. You may also fertilize the trees later in life to provide the boost of nutrients necessary to encourage blooming.

You should only fertilize in spring and mid-spring to encourage new growth and blooming.

The last thing a tulip tree needs from you is pruning. You should prune a tulip tree in early winter through early spring.

This is important to thin dense areas of the tree for better airflow, to remove dead parts of the tree, to shape the tree, and remove any diseased portions as well.

These are the few items tulip trees need when being cared for. Take this into consideration when growing this tree around your home.

Garden Pests and Diseases Which Could Impact a Tulip Tree

The last thing you must know when caring for a tulip tree is how to protect it from pests and diseases. Unfortunately, tulip trees do face a few enemies.

By knowing what you’re up against and remaining alert, you’re giving your tulip tree a better chance at survival.

The pests which most commonly impact tulip trees are aphids and scales. These issues may be treated with an insecticide.

The disease which most commonly impacts tulip trees are cankers. These can be caused by fungal or bacterial issues. Either way, cankers can be treated with either a fungicide or bactericide, depending upon the root cause.

Be sure to treat any potential issue as soon as possible to avoid damage to your tulip tree.

You now have an overview of growing a tulip tree. Plus, you have a handy care guide to know the things you must consider, know how to provide proper care, and what to protect your tulip tree from.

Now, take the information presented and try your hand at growing a tulip tree if you still feel this is the right tree for your landscaping plans.

Learn More About a Tulip Tree

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/bjorkman/lab/arboretum/trees/l_tulipifera.html

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/liriodendron-tulipifera/

https://www-pub.naz.edu/~treewalk/tuliptree/tuliptree.htm