Would you? Tulip Tree

[Jzack605]

I grabbed this little Liriodendron “Little Volunteer” at a great nursery in CT that has some interesting plants. It’s got these great small leaves and unlike the straight species it is a dwarf and should max out at 20’. It was on sale and bought it with the intention of planting it. Unfortunately I brought it home and realize, I really have nowhere for it.

so what do you all think? Bonsai a Tulip tree? It may require an air layer to fix the long leggy trunk

 

[Michael P]

It would be wonderful if the flowers are proportionate to the leaves and you could get it to flower as bonsai.

 

[BrightsideB]

I like poplar. I wouldn’t mind having one like that. But still looks like a long road to development on that one. But regardless it’s cool!

 

[HorseloverFat]

I'm currently experimenting with select windfalls of varying trees in this family...

The best 'response' I've encountered locally, is actually populus nigras....

Black, or Lombardy Poplar.

I always say try out new species... Just IF you try out a new species, give it a fair swing. This, to me, means working with them for 2-3 years before making a "suitable for tiny trees" decision.

Historically, North American poplars can, if you look, incite scathing reviews of their suitability...

I'm still trying...

I watched about 40 - 50 Lombardys grow, Last spring, In a corner, all windblown from the same tree...

One had shorter internodes (but honestly, MOST weren't too bad) and very interesting leaf shape/coloring... I took that one.

This year, I visited the same 'corner' and performed the SAME operation. ..

So I currently, have two, I am working with...

(Well I have 3 for landscape stock, too.. to 'feel' for interest')

 

[Jzack605]

For record this is not a poplar. Despite getting called a tulip poplar they are not in the poplar family.

 

[Leprous Garden]

I'll bet you $1,000 that tree goes way past 20 feet. Only one way to know if it'll be a good bonsai!

 

[Scorpius]

I'll bet you $1,000 that tree goes way past 20 feet. Only one way to know if it'll be a good bonsai!

The leaves on the op's tulip tree are a good half to third of the size of a regular non dwarf tulip tree.

 

[Leprous Garden]

The leaves on the op's tulip tree are a good half to third of the size of a regular non dwarf tulip tree.

No reason to think a smaller leaf means a smaller tree.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Somewhere I have a photo of me standing next to the a bolt cut from a tulip poplar that was knocked down by tornado at my sister's place. The diameter was shoulder high, almost 5 feet in diameter and roughly 225 feet tall. Liriodendron tulipifera is actually in the Magnolia family, it was first described as a magnolia. They are the largest hardwood tree east of the Mississippi River, both in height and in diameter.

The tree imaged by @Jzack605 is grafted, the graft union is at the first visible bend in the trunk. I would attempt my first air layers above the first branch. I am not familiar with whether or not Magnolia produce roots easily from air layers, but I have not heard any negatives in this regard. It is rather late in the year to set an air layer for this year, but in spring you should do so. One air layer per line of sap flow. Don't put air layers in series on a branch or the later ones will fail.

This is clearly a dwarf variety, judging by leaf size. Flowers, like all Magnolias will be at the terminal buds of the previous year's growth. No pruning after beginning of summer (June) if you want flowers the following spring.

As a species for bonsai, Liriodendron (tulip poplar) has a very open coarse branching habit. Even large old trees have relatively few branches with coarse twigs, no fine twigs. As bonsai the resulting tree will look sparse. With the pink magnolias, that bloom before foliage, this sparse branching makes a nice framework for the flowers. With the yellow flowered Liriodendron, the leaves tend to emerge slightly before flowering, the yellow flowers are not in great contrast to the yellow-green of the new leaves. I am not convinced this will be a showy display. I have never seen Liriodendron bloom in a container of any type. Not saying it can not be done, just saying it is obviously difficult or there would be photos everywhere you see photos of pink magnolias.

A project worth some effort. Keep us posted on the results.

 

[Mikecheck123]

I think the main problem with tulip trees is that they grow like telephone poles, dropping all low branches along the way. The ones in my yard don't have branches below fifty feet.

 

[Pixar]

give it a go see what happens

 

[TN_Jim]

bare root in early spring

if not air layer, chop above the graft

plant in good standard deciduous bonsai mix in large shallower container, let run wild

 

[Jzack605]

If I don’t find a home for it in the ground, which I don’t think I will, I will give it a go. It looks like flowers may be proportional but it’s hard to find images with the flowers and something for scale.

Will refer to Dirrs about air layering if it’s mentioned. my one concern with that is how will it fair on its own roots.

 

[rockm]

If I don’t find a home for it in the ground, which I don’t think I will, I will give it a go. It looks like flowers may be proportional but it’s hard to find images with the flowers and something for scale.

Will refer to Dirrs about air layering if it’s mentioned. my one concern with that is how will it fair on its own roots.

Flowers and fruit on bonsai generally do not reduce. Might be proportionally smaller on a "dwarf" variety, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

[penumbra]

I'll bet you $1,000 that tree goes way past 20 feet. Only one way to know if it'll be a good bonsai!

So do most of the trees used as bonsai.
Tulip poplar has more reasons for elimination than simply natural height.

 

[rockm]

FWIW, this could be the "compactum" cultivar--half the size of the "regular" variety, but even so, it's a BIG tree..."Not suggested for small properties." according to this:

Liriodendron tulipifera ( Compactum Tulip Tree )

This dwarf tree is about 1/2 the size of the species and is cultivated for its stately growth habit, unusual foliage and tulip-like, late spring flowers.

www.backyardgardener.com

Might also be "little volunteer" said to be a third the size of the regular variety--

Tulip Poplar 'Little Volunteer'

Big Beauty for Small SpacesThis well-proportioned miniature comes from Tennessee's beautiful state tree, the Tulip Poplar, so its nickname is 'Little Volunteer'. The all-American gem is native to the eastern USA and grows just one-third the size of its relative: 35 feet tall and 20 feet...

www.fast-growing-trees.com

https://media.planthaven.com/dev/docs/2019/04/Liriodendron-Little-Volunteer-PK.pdf

 

[penumbra]

Plant is tagged "Little Volunteer", and it sounds like a lovely yard tree. I thought about getting one a couple years back, but even with 8 acres, I really dont have the room as most is covered with hickory and oak with dogwood and redbud understory.

 

[Gabler]

I have a few saplings in pots. It seems like the leaves will probably reduce well, since they vary significantly in size due to the tree’s strong apical dominance. Nonetheless, they certainly aren’t a good candidate for shohin. They’ll need to be enormous to get decent, proportional ramification. Mature trees have excellent bark, though. Simultaneously flaky and difficult to damage. A tree that’s about five or six feet tall would look fantastic.

 

[penumbra]

A tree that’s about five or six feet tall would look fantastic.

Yes it would, but you have to do everything you can to retain those lower branches which the tree will normally want to shed.
"Little Volunteer" is supposed to retain lower branches better but with a strong upright habit, so there is that.

 

[Gabler]

Yes it would, but you have to do everything you can to retain those lower branches which the tree will normally want to shed.
"Little Volunteer" is supposed to retain lower branches better but with a strong upright habit, so there is that.

I’ve been running into the same problem with my just-for-fun American sycamore experiment. The tree is very healthy, but it has an annoying habit of aborting branches that aren’t receiving direct sunlight for the full length of the day. I’m allowing the apex to grow unrestricted above the trunk chop, so the lower branches really struggle if I try to prune, wire, or otherwise work them at all. Even leaving them alone, they‘re kinda weak and sickly looking compared to the apex. I might have to wait to develop the branch structure until after I develop taper in the trunk. Fortunately, they put on girth as fast as any of the tropicals they grow nearer to the equator, so it shouldn’t be much of a wait until I get to play around with that.