Who wants to hear about another weird tree? ‘Course you do!
Tonight’s offering is a giant! Native to North American and only one of two living species in its genus, the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) grows to the enormous height of 58m (192ft) and is commonly planted as a park tree. It is a member of the magnolia family, which can be seen in many of its features, such as the chonky, tulip-shaped flowers after which it is named.
The flowers are not the tree’s main oddity though; that honour is reserved for the leaves, which have a unique, four-lobed shape that itself looks a bit like a tulip. Or possibly that something has nibbled the top off. Aren’t they peculiar?
