Whitewood-Poplar

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Whitewood (Poplar)

Photo and data from Forest World

Common Names

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American tulipwood

American whitewood

Canary whitewood

Canary wood

Canoe wood

Poplar

Popple

Saddletree

Tulip poplar

Tuliptree

Tulipwood

White poplar

Whitewood

Yellow poplar

Common Uses

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Cabinetmaking

Food containers

Furniture

Hatracks

Joinery

Marquetry

Millwork

Moldings

Veneer

Baskets

Bedroom suites

Chairs

Chests

Desks

Dining-room furniture

Dowell pins

Dowells

Drawer sides

Fine furniture

Floor lamps

Kitchen cabinets

Living-room suites

Radio, stereo, TV cabinets

Rustic furniture

Stools

Tables

Wainscotting

Wardrobes

Species Distribution

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REGIONS:

North America

COUNTRIES:

Canada

United States

Physical and Environmental Profile

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Environmental Profile

This species is reported to be relatively abundant with little or no
threat to its population within most of its natural growth range,
but it is officially classified as Extinct in Vermont, and is reported to be Rare in Ontario, Canada.
(Source - World Coservation Monitoring Center -1992 ).

Although Yellow poplar may be quite rare in some parts of its range,
especially at the periphery, it is reported to be rather widespread, abundant,
and its population is relatively secure globally.
(Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).

Distribution

Yellow poplar is reported to occur in
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa,
Ontario, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine,
Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountain National Park,
Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.
It usually grows in pure stands and prefers moist, well-drained soils,
especially in valleys and slopes.

Product Sources

Some material from this species is reported to be available from
sustainably managed or other environmentally responsible sources.

Yellow poplar is reported to be readily available in
lumber and veneer form, and is priced in the inexpensive range.

Tree Data

The tree is described as one of the tallest and most beautiful of eastern hardwoods.
It usually has a long, straight stem, measuring about 80 to 120 feet (24 to 37 m) high,
with a trunk diameter of 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm).

Sapwood Color

The narrow sapwood (old-growth) is described as whitish or creamy, usually variegated or striped.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood is described as pale-olive green to brown, or clear yellow to tan or greenish brown.
It usually has blue-colored streaks or shades of purple, dark green, blue and black.

Light & Air-Induced Changes

The freshly cut wood is light yellow to brown, but it turns greenish upon exposure.

Grain

The wood is straight grained, occasionally with an attractive blister figure.

Texture

Texture is typically fine and even.

Natural Durability

Yellow poplar has little or no natural resistance to
attack by decay causing fungi and other wood destroying insects.
The sapwood is susceptible to attack by the common furniture beetle.

Cutting Resistance

The wood has low cutting resistance.

Planing

Yellow poplar is reported to respond well to most tools, and is rather easy to work.
(Percent of planed pieces without any defects = 70).

Turning

The wood is reported to turn easily.
(Number of fair to excellent pieces out of one hundred = 81).

Boring

The wood is reported to respond readily to boring.
(Percent of pieces producing good to excellent boring results = 87).

Moulding

Yellow poplar is reported to have exceptionally poor moulding characteristics.
(Number of good to excellent moulded pieces out of one hundred = 13).

Mortising

Mortising characteristics are rated as good.
(Percent of mortised pieces with fair to excellent results = 63).

Carving

Yellow poplar has been decribed as a fine carving wood.

Gluing

The material is reported to have excellent gluing properties.

Nailing

Nailing qualities are rated as good, but holding properties are reported to be less than adequate.
(Number of pieces free from complete splits out of one hundred = 77).

Screwing

Screwing properties are rated as fair.
(Percent of screwed pieces free from complete splits = 67).

Sanding

The wood is reported to possess very poor sanding properties.
(Number of pieces with good to excellent sanded surfaces out of one hundred = 19).

Staining

Staining characteristics are reported to be good.
Different colored streaks which are normally found
in the heartwood may interfere with natural finishes.
They do not, however, have any effect on the physical properties of the wood.

Varnishing

The material is reported to take varnish well.

Painting

The wood takes paint well.

Steam Bending

Steam bending characteristics are reported to be good.
(Number of unbroken pieces out of one hundred = 58).

Response to Hand Tools

The wood works well with hand tools

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Reference Sources

Numerical Data Source

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook : Wood as an Engineering Material.
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Agriculture Handbook No. 72. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Descriptive Data Source

HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer.
Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment,
Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology.
McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.

Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991.
Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood.
Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Little, E.L.1980.
The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988.
Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical.
USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57,
Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

California Department of Forestry.
Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western & Eastern Hardwoods.
Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory,
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California. n/d.

Kaiser, J. 1990. Wood of the Month:
Yellow poplar - The Forgiving Wood.
Wood and Wood Products, June, 1990. Page 34.

Kline, M. 1981. Liriodendron tulipifera - Yellow-poplar.
In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H.,
Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 211.

Cypress Woodworks/2001

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