My 40 footer has the same spots, but not bad. Really nothing you can do. I do notice moisture-stressed tuliptrees get more spotting & yellowing before the autumn-drop.

Mine (Arkansas), don't do that...and never have. So I can't really be of any help there...just thought I'd post that it's not a normal condition.

of what difference does it make in fall ..

and what impact does it have on the sunshine side ???

i will check mine in MI ... but i doubt i have this ...

nor would i be concerned about it ...

ken

Dhorvath, my first thought about the leaf drop was "how is the tree sited?" Wet spot, on a hill, maybe even soil ph, that type of thing. I have been watching a couple on my drive to work. They dropped a good number of leaves during our dry spell but seem to have stabilized.

Check out the link below then google sooty mold on tulip tree. Does either seem close to what you have going on?

I used to work with an AHorvath a decade or so ago in St Louis. Smart crazy fella. Used to publish his own magazine. If you know him tell him I Marc said hi.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.ppdl.org/dd/id/leaf_spot-tuliptree.html

Toronado--thanks for your post. From the images in the link, it does look similar. Maybe I need to just test the soil and fertilize more regularly. Don't know A. Horvath in St. Louis, but I am smart and crazy too.

Don't think that's what it is, if you notice the spotting and necrosis for that is interveinal and symmetrical. If it's sooty mold (sure can't tell from the pictures) that would indicate insect infestation and honeydew. If you have an infestation, that needs addressed and the spots will be history next year. It's fungal leaf spot, and on a larger tree there is no practical treatment, other than what you did and some extension publications say just what they did.............Don't worry about it.

Looks more like a maple than a tulip tree.

If a maple, could be tar spot.

calliope, how can I determine it is sooty mold? Would a close up photo help?

Yes.
Tear off one leaf. Take a picture of top surface and of bottom surface.
Then post both images, please.

Or take off 2 leaves.
Place side-by-side w/ one right side up, the other upside-down.
Take one picture and post!

This post was edited by jean001a on Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 18:25

Jean
I'm attaching a front and back view set. Notice the little critter on the leaf on the right. I'll send a closeup as well. Is there a connection or just a coincidence. I didn't see any on other leaves I harvested.

Closeup of the critter

Sorry, I can't determine who the critter is.

But the dark spots definitely aren't due to sooty mold. Appears to be damage to the leaves.

Edit to add:

Turns out a "tulip poplar" tree in Kentucky is the state tree, a Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioica). (But not the "tulip tree" I know, a Liriodendron tulipifera -- all of which makes a humongous difference when researching problems!)

But -- yes, another but -- "Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioica)" is not the same as the client's tree.

Okay people. Where do we go from here?

This post was edited by jean001a on Tue, Sep 9, 14 at 18:07

So is is fungal leaf spot and I should leave it alone? Sounds like it is not anything treatable (sooty mold)?

Not sooty mold.

Seriously doubt the tiny creature is causing that or any other big problem.

If it's a problem that typically occurs during successive years, the only thing to do in the fall is sanitation. That is, gather and discard fallen leaves.

Suggest you contact your countyâÂÂs Extension service office as they will know common problems in your region. Use interactive map at link below --

Here is a link that might be useful: Locate your county's Extension Service office

This post was edited by jean001a on Sat, Sep 20, 14 at 15:07