Similar size and shape

Whaattt???

A mature tulip tree is about twice the height of a mature oak. There is a tulip tree near me that lost more than half its height in a storm ten years ago, and is still larger than my oaks. They are big. Really, really big.

Here the bigger oaks get a chance to thrive as well.

LIriodendron tulipfera gets big, like 80 or 90 feet tall and quite wide when open grown and I have a similar size Quercus imbricaria.

I'm going to throw a wrench and say find some oak you do not have an example of just for the sake of variety. Are odd cultivars are an option? https://www.forestfarm.com/liriodendron-tulipifera-emerald-city-litu017.html

Agree with oak (many different ones), although both are native here in Virginia. The Liriodendron trees are lovely and I think they may be faster growing than oaks, but oaks can get to 30' in less than 10 years (at least the volunteers in my yard have) and then on up. We have a magnificent willow oak (Quercus phellos) that may reach over 100 feet if it stays healthy. Love my oaks.

Tulip tree here is only ~50-ish feet. Same for oaks I have.

Which one grows faster? The older I get, the more conscious I am that trees are ’generational’ plantings i.e. they will be mature plantings not for you but for your children or grandchildren - or (since kids now rarely continue residence at their parents’ property once the kids are adults…) a younger future owner (or their young children) of your property! So if you are middle-aged or older, ’big’ trees are likely only going to be truly big after your tenure at the property is over. So, these days, trees only appeal as plantings if they are ornamental when they are young/small or if they are ’statement’ trees when young and small so you don’t care that you may never see them mature and/or they’d be removed by a future owner.

Good points, woodyoak. I am middle-aged, I've still got a few decades left in me if I don't cr*p out early, still time to enjoy what I plant. And I do want to plant something that is generational. I don't have any kids but I figure whoever has this property after me can enjoy the trees long after I'm gone. Trees I plant aren't going up by the house, they're going out there on the acreage, only an idiot would remove a healthy oak or tulip tree when it's healthy and has room to be what it naturally is.

I did plant a horse chestnut a few years ago, knowing that it grows very slowly. Someone made a comment to me about how large these things get, to which I answered I don't care, I'm never going to live to see it, and I want a horse chestnut. I have the room for it, regardless. It's quite a nice-looking tree, I enjoy it even though it's no where near mature size.

mxk3 - I’ve found, as I get older, that things like fall color, showy variegation, showy flowers at a young age, etc. carry more weight than they used to when choosing a tree if I’m going to plant one…! I’m not familiar with tulip-trees - do they flower young with showy flowers? Is their fall color good? The previous owner here had planted a red oak— the leaves are an attractive shape and have good fall colour. It took it probably 15 years after we moved here before it was large and mature enough to produce acorns. It wasn’t particularly interesting in appearance when young so I probably wouldn’t have bothered planting it if I had been the property owner 15 years previously . :-)

Oaks are far more diverse (species wise) than liriodendron tulipifera. I also consider tulip tree fairly brittle and disaster prone.

"I’m not familiar with tulip-trees - do they flower young with showy flowers?"

The flowers on the tulip trees are showy but I find them inconspicuous from a distance -- because of the color of them, they blend in with the emerging foliage and are very hard to see unless I'm pretty much right on top of the tree. I like the form of the tree, and I especially like the leaves.

The fall colour of Liriodendron is a bright butter yellow. One of the few trees round here which produces reliable colour in our climate.

Oak for me. I have quite a few oaks which have been planted by jays or squirrels, growing up through my poplar wood. They are beautiful at every stage, but I especially appreciate the graceful, sheltering horizontal limbs in a space of stern perpendiculars. Plus, at least in the UK, the english oak has one of the highest levels of species utility. I do agree that liriodendron can put on a beautiful autumn showing...but so can my small trees of choice, the rowans.

I would avoid red oaks because of their disease problems.

Both need space. Tuliptree will grow much faster. Oaks will tolerate poor/drier soil better. Aesthetically (how it looks to you), that's up to you.

Tulip trees are among the earliest to drop their foliage in fall around here. In drought years they defoliate even earlier.

I would go with an Oak, Tulip Trees are fast growing but prone to storm damage. They are in the Magnolia family which I do love, but this is not one of my favorite species of their related kin.

Tulip tree foliage produces excellent leaf mulch ;-) unlike other Genera mentioned in this thread...

around here (Europe) they are cherished (or shunned by the native only brigades) park trees, and I consider them to be rocket like trees, taking off pretty fast and growing particularly upright. I personally like that trait very much.

but how much water do you have, is your mature tuliptree doing fine?

how lovely to have so much space that you can have several proper trees

Willow oak. I planted one in October 2001. It was tiny, about seven foot from Home Depot. In only 22 years, it is a beautiful huge tree.

Have you decided which way you are leaning yet, mxk3? I never really paid much attention to liriodendron but there are a couple in my local cemetery which are absolutely glowing, especially up against the ubiquitous graveyard yews. They seem to stand alone, looking gorgeously illuminated. I am certainly looking to put one in my wood, as autumn colour can be elusive, here in the UK (apart from the usual rosaceae family).

About 30 feet behind picea pungens... blue spruce...are 3 tulip Poplars..the yellow on each end and the green one in the middle...

In between is 3 different oaks...black on right ... shingle in middle... probably red on left....

All planted same year...20 years ago..

In tree time I see little significant height difference...oaks grow just as fast in my sand in my MI.... nothing after water first year..

imo...the flower show is useless after 30 feet... I usually missed it ...lol...if you can see a yellow flower at 30 feet...

There is an oak that turns burgundy in fall., I don't recall which... maybe scarlet?....I'll look for pix tomorrow if I remember...

If you already have a tulip...collect some oaks....

Ken

Oh the pungens was from Lowes 23 years ago...bought it he first spring after we moved here... No cultivar name...

Btw...pshaw on claims it's a fast growing tree...

And...to be clear...another common name nonsense....it's not a poplar...

And God help you if I have to explain it's not a tulip....lol

"Have you decided which way you are leaning yet, mxk3? "

Not yet. I looked at one teh local nurseries the other day, they didn't have much of a selection left -- to be expected rounding the corner into November. I'm going to go to a couple other places this weekend when I have some to see what they have, but might have to wait until spring when full stock is out.

You can probably order now...for stock in spring...or leave it to fate....ken

Why would I want to order a tree when I can buy one locally? C'mon Ken -- you know we're blessed with top-notch nurseries here in the mitten!

oh come on yourself..

go to your favorite local manager.. the one who you make all the winter cottage payments for.. AND ASK HIM [or her] TO ORDER IN WHAT YOU WANT... order now.. for spring delivery...

ken