Liriodendron tulipifera Purgatory - Tulip Tree

Liriodendron tulipifera 'Purgatory' is a selection of the Tulip Tree with particularly ornamental foliage, featuring large leaves of unusual shape and randomly speckled with bright yellow in the centre. This deciduous tree also offers beautiful autumn colours and original tulip-shaped, greenish-yellow flowers with orange accents, on a mature subject. It is a relatively slow-growing tree, eventually becoming large. It is best suited for medium-sized gardens or large plots.

The Tulip Tree, from the magnolia family, is native to the central-western United States. This tree, which can live up to 300 years (in Europe), can reach a height of 40m in its native regions. However, in our gardens, its adult size varies between 15 and 25m in height.
The cultivar 'Purgatory' was selected in 1996 at the Bomer Nursery in Zundert, Netherlands. It has a slower growth rate than the standard variety and differs by having a more modest stature, as well as larger leaves that are marked with golden yellow towards the centre. Ultimately, this tree will reach an average height of 9m with a spread of 5-6m. It has a broadly conical, curved habit, composed of a relatively short, straight trunk covered with a greyish bark and topped with a crown that reaches 5 to 6m in spread. The young branches are dark red, then become dark grey. Its 10 to 20cm leaves are deciduous and divided into 4 lobes with a pointed tip, separated by distinct notches. The foliage is a shiny, very vibrant green, randomly speckled with yellow in the centre, and turns yellow in autumn before falling. The flowering takes place from May to July. The flowers of this Liriodendron are solitary, with 9 very light green, slightly yellowish tepals, tinged with orange at the base, arranged in a wide cup shape like tulips. They are slightly fragrant, with a lemony scent. Inside the cup, there is a large cream-white central cone, surrounded by a crown of erect stamens measuring 4 to 5cm. Fruit forms on mature trees and resembles that of the magnolia: egg-shaped, dark brown, 5cm long, and persisting through winter. It releases winged achenes measuring 3 to 5cm.

The 'Purgatory' Tulip Tree is perfectly hardy and prefers rich, deep, and moist soils, and sunny exposures. It will fit well in a spacious garden, planted as a solitary tree on a lawn, near a large pond, or used as a boundary tree. It can be associated with tall blue conifers such as Cedrus libani atlantica 'Glauca', Cupressus arizonica 'Fastigiata', or Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Columnaris', for the contrast of foliage colours in autumn. Its bright foliage will also be enhanced a purple beech 'Riversii'.