Trees - Tulip Poplar
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  (August) I have a tulip tree that is turning yellow. It has very few branches and hasn't done well for about two years. I had a branch cut off this winter that was dead. Any suggestions to save it? I have other tulip trees and they both are doing well.

  There are two trees commonly called tulip trees--the tulip magnolia--Magnolia soulangiana, and the tulip poplar - Liriodendron tulipifera. One is a small, ornamental tree, and the other is a large growing shade tree. Has there been any construction or work done in the near vicinity of the tree? Has there been any grade change--soil added or removed? Is the ground extremely hard and compacted. Often when a tree has a slow decline, it is related to the site. Aeration of the soil can help, but determining if something has hurt it can also help to correct it. Water is by far the most important aspect for a tree--too little or too much can both cause problems. Investigate and see how the tree leafs out in the spring. You may need to assess if it is worth keeping or not.

  I have a large tulip poplar tree in my yard which is about twenty years old. Each year, the leaves on this tree start turning brown and start falling off in early September. The leaves never do turn yellow or gold as they should. Can you tell me the problem and a cure?

  Although some species of trees are renowned for their excellent fall color, not every tree of that species performs in the same way. The main cause for concern here is the early leaf shed every year. Tulip poplar trees like water and will begin to shed earlier during dry conditions. It may be that the soil your tree is planted in dries out more quickly than other soils, or it could be growing on a slope. Fall color is also closely correlated to moisture. The fact that your tree has been doing this for twenty years, tells me it is not life threatening and may be the norm for this tree. This season, have your soil tested to make sure pH and nutritional levels are not way off, and make sure you provide at least an inch of water per week in the growing season. Then see what happens.

  The enclosed leaf is from a plant that came up in a flower bed. I have never seen one like it. Could you please identify it and tell me what, if any, use it is? 

  The somewhat tulip-shaped leaf is from a tulip or yellow poplar, Liriodendron tulipifera. This is a fast growing, tall shade tree. If you choose to keep it, I would move it this winter to a spot where it has ample room to grow, since it can produce a tree 60 - 90 feet tall. It is one of my favorite trees, but some people don’t like the large leaves.

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