Growth Habits and Cultivation Management Key Points of the Chinese Tulip Tree (Chinese Tuliptree)

The Chinese tulip tree, also known as the Chinese tuliptree, is a deciduous tree in the genus Liriodendron of the family Magnoliaceae. It is found in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan and southern Shaanxi, and is also distributed in northern Vietnam. It is widely cultivated south of the Yellow River and is a world-famous ornamental tree species, as well as a national second-class key protected plant.

Tree species characteristics: The Chinese tulip tree can reach a height of up to 40 m and a diameter at breast height of up to 1.7 m. The tree is tall and the leaf shape is unusual. The flowers are green with yellow longitudinal stripes, with 9 petals arranged in 3 whorls. The aggregate fruit is 7 to 9 cm long, and the winged nutlets are about 6 mm long. The flowering period is May, and the fruiting period is September to October. It prefers a warm and humid climate and grows relatively quickly in deep, fertile, well-drained sandy soil. It grows well in acidic and calcareous soils of plains and low hills. It dislikes waterlogging and grows poorly in waterlogged land. It has a certain resistance to sulfur dioxide and can tolerate a low temperature of -17°C. The hybrid Chinese tulip tree is an excellent variety bred by crossing the Chinese tulip tree with the North American tulip tree, and its adaptability and growth rate are both superior to those of the Chinese tulip tree.

Market analysis: The main seedling production areas are in the five provinces of Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and Jiangxi, with southwestern Hunan and southeastern Guizhou being important seed export areas. At present, the market for seeds and small seedlings is oversupplied, 1- to 2-year-old seedlings are selling poorly, and prices have fallen considerably. Fully crowned trees with a trunk diameter of more than 8 cm sell well in the market. Large seedlings with trunk diameters of 8, 12, 16, 18, 20, 30 and 40 cm sell for 40, 60, 100, 150, 200, 600 and 1000 yuan respectively. In the Hunan market, fully crowned trees with a trunk diameter of 8 to 20 cm are already out of stock. According to industry insiders, at present there is an @#@125@#@ sufficient supply of seedlings with a trunk diameter of less than 8 cm in various places. After 3 to 5 years of cultivation, a large number of large seedlings with a trunk diameter of more than 8 cm will be supplied to the market, and prices will decline somewhat.

Cultivation key points: The Chinese tulip tree is commonly propagated by seed, and seedlings are raised for afforestation. Each kilogram contains 9000 to 12000 seeds. The seed germination rate is low, generally 5% to 10%, and the sowing rate is 10 to 12 kg per mu. One-year-old seedlings are 50 to 80 cm tall. Small seedlings should not remain in the nursery and need to be transplanted to cultivate large seedlings. The cultivation of hybrid Chinese tulip tree seedlings often uses grafting techniques, using 2-year-old Chinese tulip tree seedlings as rootstock, cutting the trunk before leaf expansion in early spring and then top-grafting, which gives a high survival rate. To cultivate large seedlings with a trunk diameter of 8 to 16 cm, the planting density is 1800 plants per hectare, that is, a spacing of 2 x 2.5 m; to cultivate large seedlings with a trunk diameter of more than 18 cm, the planting density is 1200 plants per hectare, that is, a spacing of 2.5 x 3 m. In combination with tending management, promptly prune sprouting shoots below a trunk height of 2 m to promote straight growth of the main trunk.