Tuliptree or Yellow Poplar. Â Liriodendron tulipifera. Â If you are a honeybeeist you know that this is your last big nectar producer of the spring and, as a tree, it can dominate nectar availability in forests at that time of year (earlier in the season it is usually dominated by the spring wildflowers/shrubs of the understory). Â Deciduous forests, not fields, are where the action is in the spring in many Eastern habitats. Â Of course, the native bee species are attracted to this tree too (or else why would the tree bother with all this nectar production?), but ... what are they? Â Darn it, as far as I can tell from the weak literature and specimen label data, we really don't know, but it must be big! Â Darn those tall trees. Â Picture and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman. Â Â Â
