Tulips in a Vase or on the Tulip Tree
I was the happy recipient of a gift of a bouquet of tulips this Mother’s
Day. They held a place of honor in a vase on my dining room table for two
weeks. But even though I had to say goodbye to my cut flowers, I can still
enjoy a form of tulips outside in my backyard. The Liriodendron
tulipifera, better known as the Tulip Tree, has been offering us its own
bounty of flowers.
The Tulip Tree is related to magnolias and is indigenous to
eastern North America. It can grow to
90 feet of more! Ours started as a small trunk and proceeded to expand. We used
to be able to reach the flowers on the lower branches but as the tree reached
upward, so did the flowers. The flowers are called tulips because of their
shape and color though they aren’t actually tulips. They are beautiful all the
same.
Yet everything has its blossoming time. The petals are now
beginning to fall, coating the back lawn with color. And now the rest of the garden
is starting to expand. I am looking forward to the tomatoes we already planted
and to the hibiscus that are just starting to peek out of the dirt. But
meanwhile, I appreciate what I can see. When the flowers are all gone, the
Tulip Tree will provide us with welcome shade. Ah, sitting outside with nature
and being in the moment - another delightful gift.
Here’s more about the beautiful Tulip Tree:
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-tulip-trees-2132098
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