Liriodendron tulipifera

It's a Tulip Tree!

Don’t be fooled, this tree’s flowers aren’t like actual tulips. The internal structure of the flower has an indefinite number of pistil and stamen parts arranged in a spiral. True tulips have only triple arrangements.

Tulip Tree flower (left) vs. Tulip flower (right)

The oldest thing in the New York metro area might just be a tulip tree! It’s named the Queens Giant and measures 40.8 m tall. It’s estimated to be between 350-450 years old. Read more about it here.

L. tulipifera grows natively throughout the Eastern United States. Check out the map to see its native range. Read more about habitat here.

In Florida there is an observed ecotype of L. tulipifera. They are more tolerant of wet conditions with excellent resistance to drought, pests and wind. See here.