Liriodendron tulipifera—known as the
tulip tree,
American tulip tree,
tuliptree,
tulip poplar,
whitewood,
fiddle-tree, and
yellow poplar—is the
Western Hemisphere representative of the two-
species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern
hardwood. It is native to eastern North America from
Southern Ontario and
Illinois eastward to
Connecticut and southern
New York, and south to central
Florida and Louisiana. It can grow to more than in virgin cove forests of the
Appalachian Mountains, often with no limbs until it reaches in height, making it a very valuable
timber tree. It is fast-growing, without the common problems of weak
wood strength and short lifespan often seen in fast-growing species. April marks the start of the flowering period in the southern USA (except as noted below); trees at the northern limit of cultivation begin to flower in June. The flowers are pale green or yellow (rarely white), with an orange band on the
tepals; they yield large quantities of
nectar. The tulip tree is the
state tree of
Indiana,
Kentucky, and
Tennessee.