TULIP POPLAR…Look for the fairy wands! (part 1)

Since the 2020 lockdown, a neighbor and I have been hiking sections of the Horseshoe Trail, whenever we can. Starting in mid-March 2020, we watched the seasons change and learned a lot about flora, fauna, and local history along the way. Initially, we started hiking locally to keep our sanity during troubled times. Within a 5-mile radius of our homes, we found an abundance of woodland beauty! At first, it was all about seeing the beauty of Spring arriving in the woods…and breathing fresh air! Then, being curious by nature, we started to learn the names of the wildflowers, birds, tree, and fungi.

Tulip Poplars are quite common along the Horseshoe Trail. The first sign of communication with this species of tree, was through its characteristic seed pod center. Looking very much like a tiny light saber, the seed pod center would magically appear to us. At first, we would see one at a time. Many times, we would see them after we had a mystical experience at a tree. Because of the timing of these gifts, we started calling them fairy wands! Suddenly it seemed like the fairy wands littered the forest floor. We started looking for fairy wands…just as a thing to do on our hikes. We found whole branches of fairy wands that we called candelabras. When I started to see more and more candelabras, that also contained whole seed pods, my curiosity kicked in and I asked…Which tree was producing this trailside find, we are calling the fairy wand?

Answers to my questions were easily found online…The fairy wand is the center of the seed pod of the Tulip Poplar. To find the Tulip Poplar in the woods, look for a tall and very straight tree. You can look almost anywhere along the Horseshoe Trail and find this tree. In early June we got to see the beautiful light green and orange flower in bloom. The flowers look like a Tulip, hence the name Tulip Poplar. Usually, the flowers are found way up in the treetops, but we were lucky to get a closeup view of these beauties, when they came down to ground level after a blustery summer storm. You can find the dry seed pods all year long. The seed pods are fragile and break apart very easily, but that is by design, spreading the seeds by way of the wind and animals and birds. When the seed pod breaks…the fairy wand is revealed!

Look for fairy wands on your next hike…just for fun!