This is the
third cache in my series about Virginia trees. Liriodendron
tulipifera, otherwise known as Yellow-Poplar, Tulip-Poplar
or Tulip Tree. It is not in any way related to Poplars, but is
instead closely related to Magnolias. Take a close look at the
flowers and you can see where it got it's name. They somewhat
resemble Tulip flowers.
Here is a description of
the Yellow-Poplar:
Mature
Size: Typically 90 to 110 feet in height and 2
to 3 feet in diameter, but can reach nearly 200 feet in height and
10 feet in diameter.
Form: Very
long, straight trunk with a compact, pyramidal crown.
Habitat:
Various moist, well-drained sites statewide, but attains best
growth on deep moist soils along streams and in lower mountain
coves.
Leaves: Alternate,
simple, 4 to 6 inches long and wide, smooth edged, with usually 4
pointed lobes, the outer two lobes often flattened into a squared
end; yellow fall color.
Flowers: 2 to 3 inches across,
tulip-shaped, yellowish-green, marked with orange bands near
the base
Fruit: 2½
to 3 inch cone-like cluster of woody, slender, wing-like seeds,
breaking up at maturity in fall, leaving a spike with a few whorls
of seeds, resembling wooden flowers.
Bark: Light
gray with shallow furrows on young trees, later becoming thick with
flat- topped ridges and white furrows.
Twigs: Red-brown,
often appearing shiny or waxy; large scars encircling the twig at
leaf nodes; buds elongated and "duck bill" shaped; twigs have a
sweet, spicy odor when broken.
Values and
uses: The wood is light, soft, easily
worked,with wide cream-colored sapwood and greenish-yellow
heartwood. It is used for lumber, trim, veneers, flake and chip
boards, plywood, core stock of furniture, paper pulp and fuel.
Sprouts and buds are a major food of deer, and birds and squirrels
eat the seeds. The flowers are an important nectar source for honey
production. Yellow-poplar makes an impressive shade tree for large
landscapes.
Interesting Fact: Yellow-poplar is one
of the largest and most valuable hardwood trees in the United
States. Yellow-poplar stands are popular with mushroom hunters,
because the prized morel mushrooms grow best under these
trees.
First to
Find: Congratulations Megawheaties (aka
Jeffnerner)! They were FTF and won an unactivated W&OD Trail
GeoTag. That has to be the FASTEST cache found after publishing!
Great job!
Letterbox: It looks like the Letterbox found by Udderly is
Runway 17-35. It is hidden at the base of an Oak tree.
OK - Now that you know more than you ever wanted to know about
this tree, you can find the cache hidden by a particularly nice one
in Tuscarora Creek Park near Leesburg and the W&OD
trail.