American Tulip Poplar

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

The sapwood is creamy white and may be streaked, with the heartwood varying from pale yellowish brown to olive green. The green color in the heartwood will tend to darken on exposure to light and turn brown. The wood has a medium to fine texture and is straight-grained; has a comparatively uniform texture.

Other Names

Tulip Wood, Tulipwood, Balsam Poplar, Canary Whitewood and various varieties of Aspen.

Distribution

The Tulip Tree is a magnificent forest tree, rising sometimes to the height of one hundred and fifty feet, and of all the deciduous trees east of the Mississippi it attains the largest dimensions, with the exception of the Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis). It reaches its greatest development in the rich, loamy, deep soil in the fertile bottoms along the rivers.

Availability

Widespread throughout the Eastern U.S.

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

Light construction, furniture, kitchen cabinets, doors, musical instruments, exterior trim and siding, paneling, mouldings and millwork, edge-glued panels, turnings and carvings.

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

Yellow poplar trees grow taller than any other U.S. hardwood species and Poplar belongs to the magnolia family. The bark, leaves, flowers, fruit and roots contain pharmaceuticals. The name originally applied to the tree by the early settlers was Canoe Wood, from the fact that the Indians made their canoes from the tree.

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

The poplar tree is rarely attacked by parasites. Poplar is the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.