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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Weathering Scientific Name Liriodendron tulipifera Trade Name Yellow poplar Family Name Magnoliaceae Common Names American tulipwood, American whitewood, Blue poplar, Canadian whitewood, Canary whitewood, Canary wood, Canoe wood, Green cypress, Hickory poplar, Poplar, Popple, Saddle tree, Saddletree, Tulip poplar, Tuliptree, Tulipwood, Virginian poplar, White poplar, Whitewood, Yellow poplar, Yellow-wood Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Baskets, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drawing boards, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Food containers, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Paneling , Paneling, Particleboard, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Shingles, Sporting Goods, Toys, Turnery, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable Rather secure globally Rather rare at the periphery of its range Rare in parts of its natural range (population is at risk) Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant The species is officially classified as Extinct in Vermont, and is Rare in Ontario, Canada Distribution Overview Yellow-poplar grows throughout the Eastern United States from southern New England, west through southern Ontario and Michigan, south to Louisiana, then east to north-central Florida. It is most abundant and reaches its largest size in the valley of the Ohio River and on the mountain slopes of North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The Appalachian Mountains and adjacent Piedmont running south from Pennsylvania to Georgia contained 75 percent of all yellow-poplar growing stock in 1974. Yellow-poplar thrives on many soil types with various physical properties, chemical composition, and parent material. Within the major portion of the range of yellow-poplar, these soils fall in soil orders Inceptisols and Ultisols. Exceptionally good growth has been observed on alluvial soils bordering streams, on loam soils of mountain coves, on talus slopes below cliffs and bluffs, and on well-watered, gravelly soils. In general, where yellow-poplar grows naturally and well, the soils are moderately moist, well drained, and loose textured; it rarely does well in very wet or very dry situations. Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Black Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Brown Greenish to greyish Purple Pale red to pink Dark brown Pale brown White to cream The heartwood is described as pale-olive green to brown, or clear yellow to tan or greenish brown. It usually has blue-colored streaks or shades of purple, dark green, blue and black Sapwood Color Pink Brown Green/Grey White to yellow Different than heartwood The narrow sapwood (old-growth) is described as whitish or creamy, usually variegated or striped Grain Straight Figure Growth rings (figure) Even Variable (figure) Rays (figure) Other (figure) Weak (figure) Straight Clear growth rings (figure) Variable figure Weak figure Rays figure Other figure The wood occasionally has an attractive blister figure Texture Coarse Medium Fine Fine to medium Even textured Luster Low Lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Durable Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Non durable Sapwood is vulnerable to attack by furniture beetles Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Yellow poplar has little or no natural resistance to attack by decay causing fungi and other wood destroying insects Weathering Excellent Odor No specific smell or taste Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying (speed) is fast Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Slight twist/warp Defects such as mold and sapwood stains may develop if the wood is dried slowly. Moderate kiln schedules are recommended. Wetwood may contribute to honeycomb and water pockets (rare) Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Easy Moderate Air dries and kiln dries slowly with minimal degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Slow Drying rate is slow Tree Identification Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 0-10 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Bark width is 15-20 mm Bark width is 10-15 mm Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm Trunk diameter is 300-350 cm The tree is described as one of the tallest and most beautiful of eastern hardwoods. It usually has a long, straight stem, measuring about 80 to 120 feet (24 to 37 m) high, with a trunk diameter of 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm) Product Sources Yellow poplar is readily available in lumber and veneer form, and is priced in the inexpensive range. Certified Source Certified Source Substitutes Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) and Canelo (Nectandra sp.) Planing properties of Ekop (Tetraberlinia tubmaniana) are also similar. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good The freshly cut wood is light yellow to brown, but it turns greenish upon exposure Blunting Effect High to severe Moderate Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Good (75+ pieces out of 100 will yield good to excellent results) Easy Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very good results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw The wood has low cutting resistance. Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Excellent gluing properties Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Good mortising properties Finishes well Percent of mortised pieces with fair to excellent results = 63 Moulding Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Weathering properties are very poor Number of good to excellent moulded pieces out of one hundred = 13 Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Stable Seasoned wood is dimensionally stable Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Easy to Very Easy Nails hold poorly Holds nails well Good nailing properties Number of pieces free from complete splits out of one hundred = 77 Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes to a satisfactory finish Yellow poplar responds well to most tools, and is rather easy to work. (Percent of planed pieces without any defects = 70) Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Softwood can be easily treated Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistance to Splitting Good Excellent Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Responds well Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very poor sanding properties Poor results Number of pieces with good to excellent sanded surfaces out of one hundred = 19 Screwing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-boring recommended Fair screwing qualities (expect < 70% of screwed pieces to be free from complete splits) Percent of screwed pieces free from complete splits = 67 Turning Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to turn Good results Number of fair to excellent pieces out of one hundred = 81 Veneering Qualities Easy to cut Suitable for peeling No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor Good Number of unbroken pieces out of one hundred = 58 Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good results The wood takes paint well Polishing Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Poor results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results