Tree of the Month:Yellow Poplar

It’s in your kitchen, hallway, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. You probably sit on it, but it’s 200 feet tall! Have you figured it out yet? It’s the yellow poplar tree!

One of the largest hardwoods, yellow poplar grows to be 200 feet tall with a diameter of 4 to 6 feet or more, branching off up to 60 to 70 feet above the ground. This massive, Appalachian native has solitary flowers that are yellowish green with a reddish-orange band wrapping the base of the flower. The seeds from these flowers feed deer and squirrels in the early fall and midwinter.

If it’s not in your yard, it is more than likely in your home. The furniture industry is the largest consumer of yellow poplar. Yellow poplar wood is widely used in general construction, interior and exterior trim, cabinets, kitchenware, toys, piano parts, and so much more!

Here are some characteristics of yellow poplar:

• Leaves: Resembling the shape of a tulip, the four-lobed leaves are narrow toward the stem and wide at the tip. This unique leaf shape has given the yellow poplar the common name of tulip tree.
• Bark: Yellow poplar has very firm, light gray bark that has shallow furrows. As the tree ages, its furrows deepen.
• Fruit: Much like the formation of pine cones, yellow poplar flowers are pollinated by bees, and the petals come together to form a slender cone. From June to September, the cone transitions from bright green to brown, becoming more brittle. Finally, in October, the winged seed fruit scatter in the wind.
• Habitat: Found throughout eastern North America, yellow poplar can be spotted in southern Michigan to the south of Louisiana and Florida.

If you want to learn more about Mississippi’s trees, check out Extension Publication 146, “Know Your Trees.”