Liriodendron tulipifera Tree

A rather special large tree, Liriodendron tulipifera has distinctive foliage with four lobes. The unusual shaped foliage is bright green, turning clear yellow in autumn. Known as the Tulip tree, it is also popular for its distinctive yellow and green tulip shaped flowers. They are produced in June –July on older trees.

Liriodendron tulipifera forms a pyramidal shape, reaching 10 x 6 metres in 20 years so it does require space to grow. With age, attractive patterns form in the bark. A position in sun or partial shade will suit this ornamental tree. It is tolerant of wind exposure and any well drained soil that isn’t dry is ideal.

Named the Tulip tree for its flowers, it is a most unusual and attractive large tree which has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

AKA American tulip tree, Tulip poplar, Yellow poplar, Canary Whitewood

• Common name: Tulip tree
• Height and spread in 20 years: 10 x 6 metres
• Awards: RHS Award of Garden Merit
• Environmental benefits: Good carbon storage
• Seasons of interest: Spring, Summer, Autumn
• Foliage: Green leaves that turn clear yellow in autumn
• Soil: Suited to most well-drained sites and soil types except chalk
• Position: Full or part sun

Planting Advice for Liriodendron tulipifera Trees

Suited to medium-large gardens, our pot grown Yellow Tulip trees can be planted at any time of year. Start by removing weeds and grass within a metre of your desired planting hole. Dig a square hole as deep as your root mass and roughly 2x as wide. To help the tree establish, sprinkle root grow in the hole.

Remove the pot, gently loosen the roots and place into the planting hole. Mix 50% of the original soil with 50% compost, fill in the hole and firm around gently. Avoid banking the soil up around the collar of the tree. We recommend planting Yellow Tulip trees with a stake and tie to ensure the roots are well anchored - instructions are in the planting guide.

Aftercare Advice for Liriodendron tulipifera Trees

If you’re planting Tulip trees in spring or summer, water well for the first few months. Increase watering if there are extended periods of hot or dry weather. If planting in autumn, you may only need to water a little.

Once planted, keep the area free of competing weeds and grass for the first couple of growing seasons. If your area is prone to rabbits, use a rabbit guard.

Pruning Liriodendron tulipifera Trees

American Tulip trees do not require regular pruning. If you wish to tidy it up, do so in the dormant season. Focus on removing damaged, diseased or overcrowded branches. If you require a clear trunk, remove side shoots to raise the crown.

Delivery Costs

1 small tree (most under 1.5 metres in height) : £9.95 + vat

1 medium tree (most 1.5-2 metres in height) or 2-4 small trees: £11.95 + vat

2+ medium trees or 5+ small trees: £14.95 + vat

1-4 trees delivered by pallet to kerbside (inc. mature Japanese Maples): 24.95 + vat

Mature trees, pleached trees or orders too large for pallet: Cost is calculated in the checkout process and varies by postcode not quantity. Starts from £48 + vat.

The above prices exclude the Scottish Highlands, where delivery starts from £24.95 + vat and is calculated in the checkout process. Please note, we are unable to deliver outside of Mainland UK.

Delivery Timescales

All trees are carefully packed by our experienced team and most are delivered within 3 weeks of placing the order, unless stated otherwise. Due to a high volume of orders, current lead time is 3-5 weeks. There's no need to be in to receive your order and you can request where it is left via the checkout.

For pleached and mature trees (trees over 2.5m in height), we group orders together by geographic area for specialist delivery - we will contact these customers about the delivery date.

Trees on pre-order are still growing and an estimate of when they will be ready is on the product/basket page. Orders are despatched once all trees are ready.

Gift trees and those required by a specific date can be accommodated with pleasure, although we accept no legal responsibility for late deliveries.

Our nursery is a busy despatch centre, so please make an appointment to collect or view trees.  For collections, despatch charges will be refunded.

The product table at the bottom of the page gives the forms and sizes available for this variety. Please note, photos are a guideline as all plants are unique. Below are definitions of terms:

Supplied Size: Height measured from the top of the pot.

Single Stem / Pruned and shaped: Classic shaped tree with a single stem that has had pruning to help create a beautiful, natural shape.

Top grafted: A height noted next to this form refers to the length of clear stem, which will not grow taller. Only the head of branches will develop. Top grafted trees do not require complicated pruning and are ideal for small spaces.

Feathered: A feathered tree has branches from the bottom of the trunk all the way up. These branches can be removed if a clear stem is required.

Multi Stem: A multi stem tree has two or more stems arising from or near ground level, growing from one root system.

Bush: A plant with many stems low down, rather than one clear stem.

Clump: Several plants in one pot that can give the appearance of a multi stemmed and very bushy tree.

Climber: A plant that is a natural climber and will be delivered usually running up a bamboo cane, ready to position in the garden.

Standard Tree: A more mature tree with an upright clear stem of approximately 1.8m-2.0m (measured from the soil to the lowest branches of the crown). Standards are available in different forms relating to their girth size (circumference of the stem measured 1m above soil level), not height:

Standard  either 6-10cm or 8-10cm girth, approximately 2.5-3.0m in height
Premium Standard  10-12cm girth, approximately 3.0-3.5m in height
Heavy Standard  12-14cm girth, approximately 3.5-4.5m in height
Extra Heavy Standard 14-16cm girth approximately 4.0-6m in height