All in good time

The tulip tree offers autumn colour, spring flowers and a summer canopy in cool and warm temperate gardens

The deciduous tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is one of those plants that tends to go unnoticed for much of the year, until its eye-catching flowers emerge in spring. Appearing after the new spring leaves, the solitary blooms look similar to the tree’s namesake. Six yellowy-green petals flashed with a fiery orange band near the base, form a tulip-like cup up to 10cm in diameter. Nectarivorous insects, birds and mammals (including gardeners in the know!) savour the copious volume of nectar produced by each flower, but be careful because, on a windy day, the nectar will literally rain down on you!

Native to eastern North America, tulip trees are one of two Liriodendron species – the other is L. chinense, which hails from China and Vietnam. Their close relationship to magnolias is apparent in late autumn and winter, when their leaves have dropped and dried flowers adorn bare branches in much the same manner that new flowers appear on deciduous magnolias.

Tulip trees take at least 15 years to start flowering, but before you turn the page in disgust, note that it has other endearing features. A dense canopy of large, lobed, mid-green leaves creates heavy shade in hot months, followed by a golden autumnal display. Upward-growing branches help to form a well-proportioned oval tree, and as the plant ages, the smooth, light grey bark darkens and becomes deeply fissured.

Growing 20m tall and 8m wide, this is an excellent feature shade tree for a large garden, offering valuable shade in summer then allowing sun to stream through its bare branches in winter.

The variety ‘Aureomarginatum’ is similar in size but bears yellow-rimmed leaves, while ‘Fastigiata’ suits smaller gardens growing to about 8m high and 4m wide.

Tulip trees are suitable for cool to warm temperate climates only. They are sensitive to salt spray so don’t plant them in coastal areas. Bare-rooted plants are available for winter planting, but potted specimens in leaf are more common and best planted in spring and autumn. Plant in deep, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, in a spot with full or filtered sun.