Chinese Tulip-tree

In the Yangtze valley

To the layman the ‘tulip tree’ is synonymous with ‘magnolia’. The tulip tree belongs to the genus Liriodendron. This name comes from the Greek and means ‘lily tree’. Characteristic of the tulip tree is its leaf, which is two lobed with a truncated top. This species is often planted as an ornamental because of its pretty leaves.

In addition to the American species, Liriodendron tulipifera, a second species, L. chinense, occurs in China. This was collected for the first time in 1875 and initially considered to be a variety of L. tulipifera. Although the leaves these species certainly look very similar this didn’t apply to the young leaves. With L. chinense they are initially a purple colour whilst those of the American species are always green. Moreover the flowers are different: L. chinense has smaller, light orange-yellow flowers that are more open and have a dark orange inside.

Some 10 to 20 million years ago the genus Liriodendron grew across the whole of the northern hemisphere. During cold periods they migrated further south and disappeared from Europe. The areas occupied by the two remaining species were until 13 million years ago connected, but now they are now completely separated.

Ecology and habitat

The Chinese tulip tree grows in the wild, amongst other localities, along the valley of the Yangtze river and in North Vietnam. It thrives on sandstone and granite and was originally widely distributed in mixed woodland and in mountains up to altitudes of between 500 and 1700 m.

Threat

The Chinese tulip tree has become threatened from large-scale logging and habitat destruction. Degraded forest is very poor at regenerating.