Growth Rate for the Tulip Poplar

When early European settlers arrived in America, the land was dotted with forests. The fast-growing Tulip Poplar was one of the most abundant and visible trees on the early American landscape. It is rarely found today in suburban yards.

Yearly Growth

The Tulip Poplar is a fast-growing tree, maintaining a growth rate of about 18 inches per year, with the most growth occurring in trees younger than 10 years. While their fast growth makes them a potential choice for landscaping, their mature size limits them to rural acreage.

Mature Height

Tulip Poplar trees reach 60 feet high, although specimens found in North Carolina's Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest reach 150 feet. Tulip Poplars are the tallest trees in the Eastern woodlands of the United States, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Growing Conditions

Tulip Poplars grow most quickly under ideal growing conditions. They prefer deep, moist soil. In colonial times, their growth was an indication to farmers that the soil was rich and fertile. They are more long lived than some Poplar species, but have a tendency for weak wood. Don't plant them close to structures.

References

• University of Arkansas: Plant of the Week Tulip Poplar
• Michigan State University: Liriodendron tulipifera--Tuliptree

Resources

• University of Missouri: Selecting Landscaping Plants Flowering Trees