Our mystery samaras last week were (as Sara suggested) from a tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera.
(Photograph in the public domain by P.Gibellini at Wikimedia)
The scientific species name means “tulip bearing” and refers to the stunning yellow and orange cup-shaped flowers…
although I have often thought the leaves look a bit like tulips, too.
Tulip trees are large, beautiful deciduous natives to the East Coast of North America.
They are so popular that they are the state tree of Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.
Have you ever seen a tulip tree flowering? What do you think of them?
I was unfamiliar with this one, what a beauty!
I have never even heard of the tulip tree before, I just knew that there were flowers that were called tulips. I have never seen a tulip tree flowing before. I think it would be fantastic to see. I would love to go to the three states that most likely have the tulip tree and go in the month of May or June to see the tulip trees have the flowers on the leaves. I think the tulip tree is beautiful!
Karlee,
Good luck on your quest. They are amazing trees from many respects.