About

Liriodendron chinense, the Chinese tulip tree, is a vigorous, upright tree to 25 m with leaves divided into three lobes, the large terminal one truncated, turning yellow in autumn. Cup-shaped, pale-green, yellow-veined flowers 2 cm long are produced in summer, only on mature trees. A handsome and fast-growing specimen tree for a large garden or park.

About the genus

Liriodendron are vigorous deciduous trees with attractively lobed leaves and green-and-orange, tulip-shaped flowers in summer with good autumn colour. Outstanding specimen trees for large gardens and parks.

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, East-facing, South-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeTrees
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
HeightHigher than 12 metres
Spreadwider than 8 metres
Time to full heightMore than 50 years
Suggested usesSpecimen planting, large borders, parkland settings.
Native toChina, Vietnam

Care notes

CultivationGrow as specimen tree in lime-free soil in sun or partial shade
PruningPruning group 1
PropagationPropagate by grafting
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus