This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: tulip poplars

I'd like to second Amy's comments (see below) about avoiding tulip poplars. I didn't grow this tree during the years I lived in Massachusetts, but farther south, if August is a dry month, the leaves start turning brownish and falling off, way before you want them to. Who wants to be raking leaves in August?? Also, the trees have big, coarse leaves that are messy in the lawn and on the sidewalk as they fall over a period of several months. But the main point is that they detract from the rest of the late summer and fall garden.

Because they're native, tulip poplars are the state tree of at least a couple of states. I suspect that the legislators never had one in their yards! (Admittedly, they are pretty when they bloom, and I like the trunks.) 

They're used as a street tree, believe it or not, on the suburban street parallel to the one i live on. The developers did a great job with all the other tree choices, but i know that the residents who have them really regret these -- and the trees are less than 10 years old.

Judy Lowe

Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:04:58 -0500
From: Amy Ziffer <amyziffer@earthlink.net>

I'd also avoid tulip poplars because they are messy trees and shed  
lower branches a LOT as they grow.  They are also extremely prone to  
powdery mildew and can act as mildew incubators for your whole  
garden.  When they get very large they are a hazard to structures  
because in high winds their entire top can snap off.  They are  
definitely weak-wooded.  Long and short, they are lovely forest trees  
and great nectar sources but not suitable for residential landscaping  
on anything but estates where they can be situated far from any  
structures.  I would never put one in the midst of other ornamental  
plantings.


_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
GWL list website  http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
GWL has searchable message archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they can be viewed at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index