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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Revisiting the Tulip Tree


One of the places Ellen and I went on Friday was to check out my favorite Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera. I still haven't managed to get there at the right time to bring you the blossoms, but here are the lovely leaves.

lulip tree shape

Here's the wonderful conical shape of the tree when it grows in the open. However, it's usually tucked into a forest edge.

tulip tree leaves

Here is one of the reasons it gets its common name. The leaves are shaped very much like a silhouette of a tulip.

tulip tree bud

Isn't this bud fun? It looks like a sprouting baby garden plant. That would technically be called a cotyledon. It's a new leaf growing out of that cluster of leaves.



And it's a native American tree. The wood is soft, and used a lot for furniture- usually for the insides of drawers. Maggie just says, "It sure makes some nice green shade. Nice walk, Mom and Ellen!"


See The Tulip Tree for seed pods
See Shapes of Trees for a bare silhouette


12 comments:

rainfield61 said...

I say, "It sure makes some nice green shade. Nice walk, Mom and Ellen!"

Though I am not Maggie.

Secondary Roads said...

That certainly is a beautiful tree.

vanilla said...

I love Maggie's pose. She looks so happy!

The tulip is a great tree, our state tree, in fact. Blooms almosr ready to open.

Duxbury Ramblers said...

Not native but we have a lovely specimen at Kew gardens planted in the 1770s, a beautiful tree, I am sure Meg would love to share the shade if I could get her to stand still long enough :)

john bain said...

I like Maggie. Oh and the tree.

Ann said...

Maggie takes an excellent profile picture.

Rick (Ratty) said...

I remember when I took some pictures of tulip tree seed pods. You identified it for me. I think I said in that post I remember seeing it somewhere. Now I know where! It was one of your posts.

Ferd said...

Nice images of a beautiful tree! :-)

Sharkbytes said...

rainfield- you and Maggie would be good friends

Chuck- Trees so seldom get a chance to fulFILL their natural shape that it's good to find one.

vanilla- I didn't realize it was the Indiana tree. This one bloomed already I think, so I'm surprised yours are just blooming

Carol- there are always gardens where one can see "exotics" it seems

John- Maggie hasn't had "a turn" here for a while. Thanks for the nudge, she'll get her say soon

Ann- she's getting so white, but she's good looking.

Ratty- It always takes several times of seeing something before we remember

Ferd- I know you would have preferred a bird in it...

RNSANE said...

It is such a huge, beautiful tree. I know Maggie appreciates a place like that to cool off in the hot temperature and you probably do, as well!

Julia said...

These are one of my favorite trees...even out in CA. They were planted all around the apartments where I grew up and they are used in landscaping around our town. Your picture with their au naturale form makes me like them even more. Need to plant a few at my house still...

Sharkbytes said...

Carmen- Maggie took a quick break. Ellen and I were out of time, and we hustled out to the tree and back.

Julia- I didn't know that they grow out west. Just for landscaping, I guess.