Question
Afternoon, Is there anything I can spread/spray on my mature tulip poplar to prevent it from flowering ?  I can't stand the mess anymore and the tree is 80' tall and I can't afford to remove it.  Thanks.

Answer
There are chemicals but  timing is the thing--usually the flowers will be formed as the new leaves are budding out and this would be the time to spray but all the foliage would need to be sprayed each year to stop fruit production.


There really isn't a practical solution for completely preventing flowering on large, well-established trees, but there are some hormone-based products that can help reduce flowering. One such product is ethephon, sold as Florel Brand Fruit Eliminator? It must be applied at just the right dosage, at just the right stage of flowering (full bloom) and at just the right temperature range. There is risk of plant damage if dosage and/or temperature are too high. In fact, plant stress of any kind can increase the likelihood of plant damage. And, because the product must be sprayed on, the effectiveness will depend on being able to get complete coverage of the canopy, not an easy task on a large, mature tree.


There is another product called Snipper?that is designed to be injected into the tree while the flowers are still in bud stage. However, the application uses a micro-injection system that requires skilled precision. Like other hormone treatments, timing and dosage are critical. This product should only be applied by a professional.


You might want to contact a certified arborist for estimates on both of these methods. Or check with your local tree nursery.