Description of the liriodendron plant, how to plant and care for a tulip tree in the garden, recommendations for reproduction, the fight against possible diseases and pests, curious notes, species.
Liriodendron is found in botanical sources under the name Tulip tree. This representative of the flora is attributed to the oligotypic genus included in the Magnoliaceae family. The native area of natural growth is in North American lands, so some states, such as Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, use this plant as a dendrological symbol. On the territory of Europe, the tulip tree is grown only by human efforts, since even in the ice age all of its representatives became extinct.
| Family name | Magnolia |
| Growing period | Perennial |
| Vegetation form | Tree-like |
| Breeding method | Seed, go layering |
| Landing period | Spring |
| Landing rules | The depth of the planting hole should be 1.5 times the root system of the seedling, 5 m is left between the plants when planting |
| Priming | Nutritious, well-drained, clayey or sandy |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 6, 5-7 - neutral or 5-6 - slightly alkaline |
| Lighting degree | High level of illumination |
| Humidity parameters | Regular to moderate watering |
| Special care rules | High humidity |
| Height values | Up to 30 m, but there are plants with parameters of 50-60 m |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Located singly |
| Flower color | Greenish yellow, there may be specks or spots of orange color |
| Flowering period | Late May to mid June |
| Decorative time | Spring-Autumn |
| Application in landscape design | As a tapeworm |
| USDA zone | 4 and more |
You can often hear how the plant is called "yellow poplar", most likely because of the shape of the foliage and color of the flowers, but in fact this name is used erroneously, since poplar and liriodendron are not related. The Latin name comes from the fusion of two Greek words "leirion" and "dendron", which translates as "lily" and "tree" respectively. Well, it's clear that this is due to the type of flowers that resemble the shape of lilies.
In the genus of tulip trees, all representatives reach almost 30 meters in height (this is in our latitudes), but in the territory of natural growth, where the climate is warmer, there are specimens measuring 50-60 meters. Their growth form is tree-like, the trunk is covered with light gray bark, cut with deep grooves. The trunk is massive and has columnar contours. The crown has a beautiful outline, towering over other trees on the site or in the wild, among which there are maples or oaks. This part of the lyriodendron is easily recognizable, as its upper branches are characterized by a bend going in one direction. At the same time, while the plant is young, its crown looks like a pyramid, which over time becomes oval.
Leaves are also a distinctive feature of these unusual trees. Their shape resembles a musical instrument - a lyre, composed mostly of four blades. In this case, the apex of the leaf lobes has an obverse heart-shaped and notched outlines. Leaves vary in length from 8 cm to 22 cm with a width of about 6-25 cm. Speaking about specific varieties, the Chinese Liriodendron has larger foliage.
The petiole, by means of which the leaf is attached to the branch, can have a length of 4–18 cm. When the tree is still young, its foliage is large and strongly irregular compared to the leaf blades of adult specimens. At first, the plant has a green leaf color, but in autumn days they acquire a golden yellow or yellow-brown hue, after which they fly around. The sheet plates are arranged in sequential order.
In the process of flowering, which occurs in the last week of May or the first two weeks of June, bisexual flowers appear in the liriodendron, somewhat similar to the outlines of tulip or lily flowers. The flowers are located singly, when fully opened, their diameter is equal to 3–10 cm. The petals are painted yellowish-green (but the variety Liriodendron tulipifera has flowers with an orange speckled pattern). The perianth has 9 leaves, three of which have ovate-lanceolate outlines of greenish-whitish sepals that fly around rather quickly. There are also three pairs of internal ones, resembling wide-oval petals with a soft green tint.
In the flower, the stamens and pistil in the form of a spiral are gathered around the spike, subsequently the stamens will fly around, and the pistils are transformed into lionfish. When a tulip tree blooms, a barely audible cucumber aroma is heard. After pollination takes place, fruits ripen in liriodendrons, taking pineal contours. Such fruits are formed from 1–2 seed lionfish, reaching a length of 4–9 cm. Each of them contains a seed with 4 edges, which is attached with one apex to a cone-shaped ear, the other to a winglet.
Typically these plants are grown as tapeworms because of their high growth rate. In just one growing season, the height becomes about a meter greater, and the width increases by 0.2 m.
Growing a tulip tree - planting and caring for a personal plot
- Landing place liriodendron should be chosen with good lighting (just not the northern location), open from all sides, since the plant will take on more and more outlines. In addition, due to the fragility of the roots, subsequent transplantation is undesirable. Protection from gusts of wind will also be required, since shoots can easily break off in young plants. Do not plant in places where groundwater is close, as waterlogging harms the root system. Since a tulip tree has the property of releasing sap, you should not put valuable garden decoration items (benches, benches, swings, etc.) or a car under its crown. It is also worth considering the place so that its leaves or roots do not attract pets, since too much nibbling of such parts can lead to the death of an exotic plant.
- Primer for liriodendron should have neutral or slightly acidic acidity indicators (6–7, 5). Lime in the soil negatively affects growth and flowering. A clay or sandy soil mixture, moist, but always loose, is best suited so that water and air can easily reach the roots.
- Planting liriodendron. The root system, although fleshy, but fragile, it is worth considering this fact when planting. When choosing seedlings of yellow poplar, preference is given to plants in plastic planting containers with soil, which includes prolonged fertilizers. In this case, fertilizing during planting is no longer required. Placing the plant in a plastic pot will ensure that the root system is in good health, since the tulip tree seedlings will not be dug out. Before planting liriodendron, it is recommended to prepare the soil, rotted manure or compost is mixed into it for nutritional value. The pit is prepared a week before planting. Part of the soil that is removed from the hole should be mixed with fertilizer, and the other is left untouched to sprinkle the roots of the seedling. If the soil is very depleted, then a glass of complex mineral fertilizer (for example, Kemiru-Universal) can also be added to it. A layer of drainage material is necessarily placed at the bottom of the planting pit to protect the roots from waterlogging. It can be fine crushed stone, gravel, or pieces of brick of the same size. When planting a yellow poplar in central Russia, the time is selected in the spring, after the soil has warmed up enough. If there is a plant with an open root system, then planting should occur as soon as possible, but before this procedure, the root system is lowered for 3, 5-4 hours in a bucket of water. If the seedling is in a transport container, the storage time before planting can be long. It is recommended to dig a planting hole in accordance with the parameters of the root system of the tulip tree seedling. Usually it is made 1.5 times the size of the root system. Before lowering the plant into the hole, it is recommended to inspect the roots and all parts that have dried out or rotted must be cut off, and the cuts must be sprinkled with crushed charcoal. If the seedling is in a container for transportation, then the soil needs to be watered a little to make it easier to extract the plant. In this case, the container is placed on its side and the earthen lump is carefully pulled out. It is not worth destroying the latter, since the roots are fragile and can deviate for a long time from such a procedure, in which case acclimatization will take a longer period. It is recommended to place the root collar of a tulip tree seedling in the planting pit in the same way as it was in the container. After a little soil has been poured onto the drainage, a plant is placed there and the prepared soil mixture is poured on the sides. The substrate is gradually compacted so that no air voids remain in it. Watering a liriodendron seedling is carried out with 10 liters of water. The soil in the area near the trunk must be mulched with cut grass, peat chips or compost, which will serve as protection against rapid evaporation of moisture and weed growth. The thickness of such a layer should not exceed 8-10 cm. If several yellow poplars are planted nearby, then about five meters are left between them.
- Watering a tulip tree it is necessary to carry out often, but in moderate doses, so that the soil is not waterlogged and does not provoke rotting of the root system. But it is recommended for young plants in the first couple of years of growing. Water is used only warm, with a temperature of 20-25 degrees. If cultivation is carried out in hot and arid regions, then watering is required more often. In general, it is worth focusing on the condition of the soil. Spraying the crown from a garden hose with a spray nozzle will also help the tree. This "shower" is recommended to be performed in the evening before sunset, so that the sun's rays can dry the drops, but do not harm the foliage.
- Fertilizers for liriodendron should be applied from the second year after planting. As soon as the snow melts, it is necessary to use mineral fertilizing with a high nitrogen content, which will stimulate the growth of foliage. The second time the plant is fertilized during the budding period with the use of phosphorus-potassium preparations, so that the flowering is lush.
- Wintering of a tulip tree. Since the plant is frost-resistant, only young yellow poplars will need shelter. The trunk circle is mulched with dried fallen leaves, sawdust or peat. Such a layer should be 10–12 cm. In addition, if the plants are not sufficiently strong, then some gardeners use a cover made of burlap or non-woven material (for example, lutrosila or agrofibre). The branches of such plants are pressed neatly against the trunk, and then wrapped in material and tied with a rope for fixation. If you want even more reliability, then you can put spruce branches up or put on a snow cap. After the snow melts in the spring and the sun begins to warm up, it is recommended to remove such a shelter so that the root system does not undergo damping. But in this case, it is required that return frosts pass, which can destroy the heat-loving exotic.
- The use of liriodendron in landscape design. Since the plant has a spectacular appearance and large size, it is grown as the central figure on the site.
Read also tips for planting magnolias and caring for your backyard.
Recommendations for breeding liriodendron
To please yourself with such a colorful yellow poplar, you can carry out reproduction by sowing seeds or planting seedlings (layering).
- Seed propagation of liriodendron. The seeds can be obtained from the bud-like fruit that forms from the ovaries after flowering is complete. However, it is worth hurrying with sowing, since seed material loses its germination capacity very quickly, practically 2-3 days after its collection. Sowing is carried out before winter, but before that, the seeds undergo pre-planting preparation. For a couple of days they are soaked in a soft pink solution of potassium permanganate or ordinary warm water, which will have to be changed 1-2 times a day. But some gardeners do not carry out such soaking. Seeds are sown in a seedling box with light fertile soil (you can use the soil for seedlings or take a peat-sand mixture). The depth of the ground should be no more than 1.5 cm. After that, the substrate is watered from above and covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves. Then the container with the crops is placed in a cold room (you can just go into a room without heating). They also sow the plant in a plastic greenhouse. As the ambient temperature rises, it is recommended to gradually remove the foliage from the box. When the seedlings reach a height of 10-15 cm and acquire a pair of true leaves, they can be transplanted to a permanent place of growth. Providing for the first time shading, watering, feeding and proper care.
- Propagation of liriodendron by layering … This method allows you to quickly get the required seedling, since a ready-made shoot of a yellow poplar is used for it, which bends to the soil. At the point of contact with the ground, the bark is removed from the branch in a circular manner. After that, the shoot is fixed in the made groove in such a way that its top looks out from under the substrate. They look after such a layer in the same way as an adult plant. When the formation of roots occurs in the root layer at the place of rooting, then it is carefully separated and transplanted to a permanent place of growth in the garden.
Read also the rules for breeding rhododendron.
Fight against possible diseases and pests when growing a tulip tree
Basically, gardeners can be pleased with the fact that liriodendron is rarely affected by pests or diseases. If the growing conditions are violated, the soil is too waterlogged, then fungal diseases may occur. Then treatment with fungicidal preparations, such as Fundazol, should be applied.
Low humidity, lack of watering or precipitation (overdried soil) can also cause a problem, then the leaves of the tulip tree at the ends become dry. In this case, spraying the crown with a garden hose is necessary. If the foliage turns yellow, which does not occur in the autumn, you should pay attention to the planting site, most likely the reason for this is too bright lighting and a decrease in humidity. Shading can only be organized with young plants (due to the size), using, for example, a sheet of plywood. When the foliage loses its rich color and turns pale, then, in all likelihood, the soil has become too poor and it is recommended to feed.
Read also about possible difficulties in growing fescue
Curious notes about liriodendron
In yellow poplar, the sapwood has a whitish tint, often covered with darkish spots and stripes, while the core is characterized by a red-brown, greenish or light yellow color scheme. When sawing, the tree rings are clearly visible. In the forestry industry, the plant plays a rather significant role. If we take technical literary sources in English, then the tulip tree is called "white tree" or "canary white tree". Because wood is easy to process and polish, it is often used to make plywood, musical instrument cases, and, in the past, radios. We will use such a material as woodwork and container timber, as well as a balance sheet in the paper industry and the like.
In the village of Golovinka, which is located in the Lazarevsky district (Sochi region), a rather exotic specimen of liriodendron is growing, which has simply huge parameters. Its height is 30 meters with a trunk diameter of about 2.4 meters, the crown of the plant is measured by 27 meters. When it was decided to "grab" the trunk of the tree, it was difficult for even ten to do it. It is believed that the age of this tulip tree is about 300 years, so the plant attracts crowds of tourists who want to photograph such a representative of the flora.
There is information that a lightning bolt struck Golovinka's yellow poplar, but the plant survived and continued its development and growth. There is unverified evidence that this particular tree was brought in 1813 from North America and transferred for further cultivation in the Yalta Botanical Garden, and from there it somehow got to Golovinka. There is a belief that sitting in the shade of the crown of this majestic giant, you can get rid of all diseases, and other tourists put coins in the hollow on the trunk, which will serve as a guarantee of future wealth and happiness.
Description of the species of liriodendron
Liriodendron tulip (Liriodendron tulipifera)
may occur under the name Tulip tree present or Lyrana … This American species is also called American magnolia, since in nature the growing area is located in North America. The plant is highly decorative and large in size. Its trunk is beautiful and slender, somewhat reminiscent of a column. Its height is in the range of 25–35 m. The crown has large parameters, which can be fifty meters in height. Over time, its outline resembles an oval. The bark on the trunks of young plants is smooth to the touch, its color is light, grayish-green. Mature specimens have a more uneven (cracked) bark, which is covered with diamond-shaped grooves. Often, when the plant is quite old, then in its trunks there are hollows made by woodpeckers.
The branches of the plant are smooth and glossy, as if abundantly greased with wax. If a branch is broken, a sweetish smell is distinctly audible. The foliage is arranged in a regular sequence. The shape of the leaf plate is simple; there is a venation in the form of feathers. The length of a wide leaf is 12–20 cm, while its color is light greenish or deep green. With the arrival of autumn, the color of the foliage changes to yellow-golden. The outlines of the leaf are lyre-shaped, there are usually 4 lobes in the leaf, their apex is obverse-heart-shaped with a notch. The length of the petioles does not exceed 7–10 cm. The large stipules seem to embrace the branch. The kidneys have elongated contours, somewhat resembling a duck's beak.
The outlines of the flowers resemble the corolla of tulips, which is where the second name of the plant comes from. The length of the buds does not exceed 6 cm. The flowers on the plant are bisexual. The color of the petals is yellow, pale greenish (in rare cases, it is whitish), the corolla has an orange base. A cucumber aroma is heard during flowering. Flowers are excellent suppliers of nectar, and in the United States, this species of liriodendron is considered one of the most melliferous plants. The flowering process takes place from late May to mid-June.
After pollination, the place of flowers is taken by fruits resembling cones, the length of which does not exceed 5 cm. These fruits are the base and lionfish, which fall off when the fruits are fully ripe. The length of each lionfish can reach 4 cm; it is formed by a single wing and a seed with 4 edges. Maturation takes place from August to October. In the autumn months or already in winter, such lionfish are scattered around the mother plant, but occasionally they can remain on the branches until spring, taking the form of dried leaves.
Chinese liriodendron (Liriodendron chinensis)
- a representative of the flora with tree-like outlines, the height of which does not become more than 15 meters, may have the form of a bush. For cultivation, a mild and cool climate is suitable for him, but with increased humidity. When opened, the flower can reach 6 cm. The petals in it are inside a beautiful golden-yellow color scheme, and their outer side is greenish. Unlike the American variety, this one has larger foliage and a deeper division into lobes. The flower petals are slightly shorter, and they also lack the orange spot at the base of the corolla.
This species is less common, but any soil is suitable for it. However, the plant is not as hardy as American liriodendron. Often grown in western Europe (England, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany). J. C. Raulston has been bred by breeders in North Carolina, which has larger leaf sizes and a darker color.
African tulip tree
which is often called Spathodea campanulate (Spathodea campanulata). The trunk height of this species can vary in the range of 7–25 meters. The flowers have bell-shaped outlines and a bright yellow or reddish-orange shade of petals. They also resemble tulip flowers in their shape, but racemose inflorescences can be collected from the buds. The corolla of the flower is always directed upwards and therefore moisture from precipitation is often collected in them, which attracts birds in those regions.
Video about growing liriodendron in the open field:
