Although the tulip tree is not
native in the Red River alluvial floodplain
where my city is located, it will grow well
there if planted on the higher areas along
the natural levees that occur along the
rivers and bayous. In my opinion, it is the
classic American tree. Its coarse texture,
predictable and consistent conical form,
strong central leader, and tall stature
make it a dominant feature in the land-
scape. It should only be used as a street
tree in areas where there is sufficient soil
volume, such as lawns behind sidewalks
in residential areas, in parks, and in nat-
ural wooded areas.
—Darren Green, ASLA Landscape
Architect, City of Alexandria,
Louisiana
The City of Evanston, Illinois has
been planting tulip trees on our parkways
and in our parks for more than 25 years.
They have proven to be very resilient and
tolerant of a variety of conditions. We
have nearly 200 growing throughout the
City in both clay and sandy soils, and
they seem to thrive in both types of soil,
unless we have a very dry summer. When
this happens, they will drop their leaves
early, but they always seem to recover
very well the next year and do not show
any long-term adverse effects. They are
also thriving along the shore of Lake
Michigan in our lakefront parks, where
they provide generous shade for some of
our picnic groves. Our residents love the
spring flowers and the fall color, so this
has become a very popular choice when
they are deciding on a new tree for their
parkway. All in all, tulip tree is a very solid
choice for our urban conditions.
—Paul D'Agostino, Environmental
Services Bureau Chief, Public Works
Agency, City of Evanston, Illinois
fall in love and fight for their retention.
As arborists, what is more important than
giving people the opportunity to fall in
love with a tree?
—Emily Hamilton, with contribu-
tions from Carolina Arango, Grady
Lazenby, and Sheena Fisher, City of
Surrey, BC
Mature tulip tree in fall • Photo by Beth Corrigan
30 CityTREES
