The Best Ways to Propagate Tulip Trees for Fast Growth and True Color

I am a huge fan of tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera), also known as tulip poplar trees. I love their tall, straight trunks. I love their huge, deeply lobed leaves that provide wonderful shade in the summer and turn a bright, true yellow in the fall. I love their eccentric but elegant flowers that also resemble tulips. I planted three in my landscape in France. As time passed, I wanted more and decided to learn about tulip tree propagation.

If you're wondering how to propagate a tulip tree, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is. You have several options, but one is clearly better than the others.

Best Methods to Propagate a Tulip Tree

Propagating tulip trees is an easy and inexpensive way to build your tulip tree grove. The two viable methods to propagate tulip poplar trees are: 1) from cuttings, and 2) from seeds. While it may seem that growing trees from seeds is the more “natural” way to proceed, it pays to review the pros and cons of each propagation method. In my opinion, rooting tulip tree cuttings is far and away the best method to propagate a tulip tree.

How to Propagate a Tulip Tree from Seed

Before you start propagating plants from seed, you need to gather the necessary supplies. When the goal is to propagate a tulip tree from seed, be sure you bring plenty of patience to the operation. Few gardeners choose this option because of the time involved, but it can be done if you have the time. Remember that Mother Nature is never in a rush.

1. The first step in tulip tree propagation by seeds is to gather the seeds. The time to do this is in autumn. Wait until the seed pods have fallen to the ground and turn light tan. They resemble little dry cones and must be harvested before the seeds fall from them to the ground. Once you pick up the pods, allow them to dry out on a sheet of newspaper for a few days. The seeds inside look like small wings. After a few days of drying out, they will begin to separate from the pod.
2. Moisten the winged seeds and place them in the refrigerator for three months. This process is called stratification, and it recreates the dormancy the seeds would experience in the wild.
3. Plant the seeds. Prepare seedling pots by adding a seed starting mix like this one from Amazon. Put two or three seeds in each pot and cover them with a thin layer of soil. They will germinate in a matter of weeks. Keep the soil moist.
4. In springtime, plant the seedlings in an appropriate location outdoors. Select a spot that gets good sun exposure and offers well-draining soil. It’s best to add organic compost to the soil before planting. This R&M Organics compost from Amazon is a good bet.
5. Mulch the young plants with wood chips. This will hold the water in the soil. Be sure that you select sites with plenty of space, since they can get to 90 feet (30m) tall when they mature with canopies that fill out to some 45 feet (15m).

How to Propagate a Tulip Tree from Cuttings

If you don’t want to wait a year or more to get a new tulip tree from seed, you can propagate tulip trees by rooting cuttings. Rooting cuttings is also guaranteed to produce a tree that is exactly the same type as the parent, since you're essentially cloning your parent tree. Here’s how to do it.

1. Take stem cuttings in autumn, snipping off some 18 inches (45 cm.). These are semi-hardwood cuttings taken from partially mature wood of the current season’s growth. The cuttings are quite firm. Don't cut a branch within the swollen area where it joins the trunk. I recommend these Fiskars bypass shears, available on Amazon.
2. Add rooting hormone to a bucket of water and put the cuttings – cut ends down – in the water. Everyone on Amazon loves this one.
3. Prepare good-size containers to receive the cuttings by filling it with planting soil. Push the lower 8 inches (20 cm.) of each cutting in one of the containers. Use plastic bags to cover each cutting, making the pot into a little greenhouse that holds in the humidity.
4. Situate the containers in an area that is protected from the wind but gets bright, indirect light. Roots should develop within a few weeks. Keep the soil moist and transplant the cuttings in the springtime.

Frequently Asked Questions