My Tulip Tree Sheds Lots of Leaves in Early June & Then Gets Better

Drought

• The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is also called a yellow poplar or tulip poplar. This specimen is extremely sensitive to summer drought, so much so that it is considered an indicator species that provides the first warning that drought conditions are underway. As a result, the tulip tree often sheds its leaves in July and August as drier conditions develop and may drop its foliage even earlier, dependent on rainfall in specific areas.

Hardiness Zones

• The yellow poplar thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, an area that encompasses a significant portion of the country aside from extreme northern locales. It appreciates rich, moist -- even wet -- soil, although mature trees with strong root systems adapt more easily to summer drought. A mixture of full and partial sunshine contributes to the overall health of the tree and helps to minimize premature leaf drop.

Management

• This premature leaf drop is to be expected in tulip trees almost anytime the weather turns dry. Although alarming, the leaf drop is not a serious problem and the tree recovers once water is more plentiful. Gardeners and homeowners with a yellow poplar on their property should pay close attention to pending drought conditions and supply extra water to the tree if they wish to avoid a defoliation of the tulip tree before autumn.

Fun Facts

• The tree is native to the eastern section of the U.S. and was once extremely plentiful in the natural habitat of that region. Well-regarded due to its imposing stature and bright yellow leaves that bear a resemblance to tulips, the yellow poplar is the state tree of both Kentucky and Indiana. The American explorer Daniel Boone demanded the wood of the tulip tree for building his large canoes, and George Washington planted yellow poplars on his estate at Mount Vernon that still stand today.