Leaves and Limestone: For the love of a tree

Jennifer Mason Contributor I have a large tulip poplar, Liriodendron tulipfera, growing outside my bedroom window. This tree is not really a poplar, but a member of the magnolia family. It has showy green flowers with vivid orange stripes at the base of the petals. It blooms in the spring, usually April. The flowers are an important nectar source for hummingbirds, native bees and honey bees. One mature tree can produce about nine pounds of nectar in a single season! This tree is a world unto