iriodendron tulipifera 'SNOWBIRD' yellow poplar, tulip tree

Liriodendron Snowbird® is a remarkable cultivar of this attractive tree, with origins linked to New Zealand. According to some sources, it was bred by James Palmer Rumbal, a long-time researcher at the renowned Duncan & Davies nursery, who specialized in selecting and propagating ornamental woody plants. For his contributions, Rumbal received the RNZIH Plant Raisers’ Award in 2012. Another account credits Elliot Groves of Stepping Stones Nursery in New Plymouth with selecting the cultivar, as noted in personal correspondence with dendrologist Neil Dunn in 2018. Whichever version holds true, Snowbird® began its slow but steady journey into the wider world in the early 21st century. In Europe, it first appeared in the catalogue of the British nursery Frank P. Matthews around 2010. That same year, it was introduced as a novelty by the aptly named Nothing Normal Nursery in the United States — and they’ve got a point: why sell boring plants? 😊

What makes Snowbird® so special? It’s a variegated cultivar whose snow-white margins stay bright throughout summer, unlike the older Aureomarginatum variety, which tends to fade with the first hot days of summer. The leaves glow beautifully on the tree until autumn, when they turn a rich buttery yellow before falling. They’re fairly large (15–20 cm long, 10–15 cm wide), saddle-shaped, and resemble a lyre. The tree has an upright growth habit with a pyramidal crown and reaches up to 20 meters in height and about 12 meters in width at full maturity (around 100 years). Older specimens produce tulip-shaped flowers in pale green with yellow to orange bases, blooming from late May to late June. Thanks to its narrower form, it’s suitable even for medium-sized gardens, where it stands out as a stunning specimen tree.

Pruning is generally unnecessary, as the tree naturally forms a dense, pyramidal shape with a handsome silhouette. However, if you need to reduce its size or shape it, always prune right after flowering — as a member of the magnolia family, it blooms at the tips of its branches, and spring pruning would remove the buds. You can grow it as a shrub with branches from the base, or as a single-trunk tree with a canopy above head height.

Plant your tulip tree in a sunny, open location with plenty of space. It tolerates windy sites if moisture is sufficient. It thrives best in rich, well-drained soil, ideally slightly acidic — adding peat can help. The soil should be moist but not waterlogged, although once established, the tree can handle short-term flooding after heavy rains. In its native habitat, it grows in a mild, humid climate with high humidity, which is hard to imitate in dry, continental climate of Central Europe. If you can’t plant it near water, ensure occasional watering, especially during summer heat and drought. Young single-trunk trees should be staked to help them root well and grow straight. Tulip trees are resistant to pests and diseases, and mature wood can withstand frosts down to –30 °C (USDA zone 5). The root system is shallow, wide-spreading, and actively seeks water. For this reason, avoid planting it too close to buildings, walls, or underground utilities — a minimum distance of 5 meters is recommended to prevent structural or pipe damage 

Last update 08-08-2025