Features
Branching Out
Editor’s note: This is part of a series of columns highlighting some of the unusual tree species that can be found on the U of G campus. It is written by certified arborist Rob Shaw-Lukavsky, a gardener in the Grounds Department.
Just a few steps east of Zavitz Hall is a fairly large tree that towers over much of Branion Plaza. The tree seems almost unremarkable aside from its size, but a closer look will reveal one of the most interesting trees on campus.
This is a tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), the largest one at the University and probably in the city of Guelph.
A tulip tree? Everyone knows tulips grow from bulbs and push a few inches above ground, but on a tree 60 feet tall? Tulip tree is the common name for this species and refers to the tulip-like orange and green flowers that appear in mid-summer. In full bloom, they cover the tree by the thousands.
This tree also has unusual leaves that are easily identified. They look somewhat tropical or even as though the tops have been sliced off with a paper cutter.
Although the Zavitz tree is large, it’s actually relatively small for this species. The tulip tree is one of the biggest and fastest-growing hardwood trees and can grow up to 175 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter under ideal conditions. The tree is sometimes referred to as “yellow poplar” because of its size and growth rate.
In reality, tulip trees are part of the magnolia family and are an important source of nectar for honeybees. The tree’s seeds are also a food source for songbirds, rabbits, squirrels and mice.
The wood was traditionally used by settlers for home building, and native Americans carved dugout canoes from the massive trunks