As farmland reverts to woodland one of the early trees in forest secession is the tulip poplar. Mature trees are 60 to 100 feet tall and a few in the Smokies achieve gigantic size. Since the demise of the American chestnut it has become the dominant tree of the eastern hardwood forest. They usually grow straight without branching and were used extensively for telephone poles.
The tree, also called the tulip tree and yellow poplar, is not related to tulips or poplars. It is a relative of the magnolia but this photo shows why tulip tree was the one of the common and very descriptive names it was given. The blooms are approximately 3 by 4 inches and are beautiful to see in mid spring. In the autumn the leaves of the tulip poplar turn a blazing gold.