Tuliptree

I am hoping you might be able to identify a tree for me. It located in Waushara County, Wisconsin. The form and bark look like a maple, and the leaves are maple-like - and HUGE. The leaf pictured is only medium-sized... some of the larger ones are nearly a foot long. Any ideas?

What a great find. The leaf captured in your photo belongs to a tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera). You do not see many of these in Wisconsin. There are wonderful specimens at the Boerner Botanical Gardens but I have not heard of any in your part of the state.

This large scale tree is native to the eastern United States with Wisconsin being on the western edge of its native range. Tuliptree gets its name from the greenish-yellow upright tulip-like flowers that bloom late May through early June. Unfortunately because they are appear high in the tree they are often overlooked.

Tuliptree is one of the tallest trees east of the Mississippi. It generally grows 70-90' tall with a spread of 35-50'. It can grow to 150' and taller, with some reported as tall as 200'! The current national champion in Chesapeake, VA stands at 115'.

Tuliptree is hardy in Zones 4-9. It's a fast grower, putting on 15-20' feet of growth in as little as 6 to 8 years. Preferring full sun and moist well-drained soils, tuliptree is not tolerant of wet soils, drought or urban conditions. It's right at home in large lots or landscapes where it is given adequate room for its large size.