REGION — Two readers came forward to state there are more tulip trees in the area than originally thought.
An article in the June 9 edition of The Franklin Journal shared information about tulip poplar trees located on Farmington Historical Society properties in that town. In the article, Maine State Forester Patty Cormier said she didn’t know of any tulip poplar trees in other towns.
Readers confirmed two more tulip poplar trees are growing locally after an article about tulip poplar trees in Farmington was published June 9 in The Franklin Journal. Tuesday morning, June 6, the tulip poplar tree is in bloom near the Octagon House on the corner of Perham and High streets in Farmington. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
The tulip poplar tree, also known as the tulip tree, is a native large deciduous tree that may grow 90 to 120 feet tall, according to a description from North Carolina State University’s Cooperative Extension website. This tree is one of the largest native trees in North America, and is the State tree of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, the site notes.
This tulip poplar tree, seen Wednesday afternoon, June 14, in Wilton was planted 20 years ago. Then 12-year old Jacob Hastings, now of Farmington purchased the tree from vendors at an event at the Norlands in Livermore. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
According to Wikipedia, it is known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tulipwood, tuliptree, tulip poplar, whitewood, fiddletree, lynn-tree, hickory-poplar, and yellow-poplar. Not a true poplar tree, it is the tallest eastern hardwood, it is native to eastern North America from Southern Ontario and possibly southern Quebec to Illinois eastward to southwestern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Betty Ryder of Industry contacted The Franklin Journal on Saturday afternoon, June 10. “I have a home in Industry that I’m in the process of selling,” she said in her message. “I thought I’d let you know there is another tulip tree in Maine because I planted one on my property there in Industry.”
In a follow up call, Ryder couldn’t remember if it was brought with her from Connecticut or Pennsylvania. “It’s quite tall,” she said. “There are no blossoms on this one yet.”
Ryder noted there are a lot of trees around her tulip tree that might be interfering with the tree’s blossoming. She said neither she nor her husband are able to do anything with them.
On Monday morning, the story about the tulip tree inspired another reader to reach out through the Sun Journal website. “My grandson planted a tulip tree at our house in Wilton when he was 12 years old, 20 years ago,” Marion Hutchinson wrote.
“We bought it at the Norlands in Livermore” she noted. “It is truly a beautiful tree and smalls delicious when it blooms.”
Monday afternoon The Franklin Journal contacted Willi Irish, who has decades of experience in her role as a historical interpreter at Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. She remembers planting the maple trees to the north of the house at Norlands. “We set out trees for Arbor Day,” she noted, but didn’t remember anyone associated with Norlands ever selling trees.
“Norlands did start holding Heritage Days in either 1975 or 1976 to coincide with [America’s] Bicentennial,” Irish said. “It was eight days long to start, then went to just a weekend at the end of June. Later it became the Strawberry Festival.
“Vendors were set up on the front lawn.”
Tuesday evening Hutchinson responded to questions sent her in an email. “Yes, we bought the tulip tree from one of the vendors at the Norlands, not sure what year,” she wrote. “My grandson is Jacob Hastings from Farmington.”
Hutchinson finds it interesting that more tulip trees, which aren’t supposed to be found this far north, are thriving in the area.
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