Yellow poplar (Liriodendron spp.) contains two species, the yellow poplar of North America (L. tulipifera) and a Chinese species (L. chinensis). Both species look alike microscopically. The name liriodendron is derived from the Greek lily and tree, because of the showy “lilylike” flowers (the flowers look more like tulips).
Other Common Names: American whitewood, basswood, blue poplar, canary poplar, canary wood, canoewood, cucumbertree, hickory poplar, liriodendron, old wives shirt, poplar, popple, saddle-tree, sap poplar, secoya, southern yellow poplar, tulipia, tulip poplar, tuliptree, tulipwood, white poplar, whitewood.
Distribution: Most of the eastern United States, from Massachusetts west to Illinois, Arkansas and Louisiana, south to the Gulf Coast and central Florida.
The Tree: Yellow poplar trees reach heights of 160
ft (49 m) with a diameter of 8 ft
(2.4 m). It is probably the tallest hardwood tree in the eastern
United States.
General Wood Characteristics: Yellow poplar sapwood is white, sometimes with stripes; the heartwood is usually tan, but can range from greenish brown to dark green, purple, black, blue and yellow. The wood is straight grained, uniform in texture and moderate to light weight. Among commercially important hardwoods in the United States, yellow poplar ranks in the lower third of the range of the following properties: specific gravity, bending strength, toughness, impact resistance, work to maximum load, crushing strength, fiber stress at proportional limit, shear strength, tensile strength and side hardness.
Weighta
Weight
Moisture Specific lb/ft3 kg/m3
content gravity
Green 0.40 38 609
12% 0.42 28 449
Ovendry 0.43 NA NA
aReferences: specific gravity, green and
12%, (98);
specific gravity, ovendry, (59); weight,
(59).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green Dry
MOE 1.22 106 8.412 GPa 1.58 106 10.894 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 6.00 103 41.370 MPa 10.1 103 69.640 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 2.66 103 18.341 MPa 5.54 103 38.198 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.27 103 1.862 MPa 0.50 103 3.448 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 7.5 51.713 kJ/m3 8.8 60.676
in-lbf/in3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
Hardness 440 lbf 1957.12 N 540 lbf 2401.92 N
Shear| | 0.79 103 5.447 MPa 1.19 103 8.205 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
aReference (98).
Drying and shrinkagea,b
Percentage of shrinkage
(green to final moisture
content)
Type of 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
shrinkage
Tangential 8.2 5.7 2.4
Radial 4.6 3.2 1.3
Volumetric 12.7 9.8 4.1
aYellow poplar wood is intermediate in
its tendency to warp,
with initial shrinkage being large. It
stays in place well
after drying. It dries quickly, with
minimal loss of quality
in all conditions.
bReferences: 0% MC, (98); 6% and 20%
MC, (90).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Condition 6/4 stock stock stock stock
stock
Standard T11-D4 T10-D3 T9-C3 T7-C2 T5-C2
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: Yellow poplar has the reputation of being one of the easiest of all hardwoods to work with hand and machine tools. It works well in planing, turning, gluing and boring. It is average in mortising and nail- and screw-holding abilities, but poor in shaping and sanding. It holds stain and paint well.
Durability: Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Lumber, veneer, pulpwood, furniture, plywood, interior finish, dimension stock, gunstocks, musical instruments, toys, novelties, hatblocks, sporting goods, pallets, shipping crates, slack cooperage, particle board.
Toxicity: It may cause allergic reactions or dermatitis (40, 64, 105).
Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74, 100. 55, 66, 68, 74, 79. 28, 29, 42, 43, 44, 48, 50, 55, 56, 68, 72, 73, 74, 79, 92, 97, 102. 74, 75, 77, 99, 106. 101.