American Basswood
Tilia americana L.

Also known as Linden, Linn, or Beetree.

Mature Size: 70 to 80 feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter.

Form: Medium tree with a dense crown; often sprouts from old stumps, resulting in a cluster of trunks.

Habitat: Tolerates variety of sites, but grows best on deep, moist, fertile loams.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, oval to heart shaped, 5 to 6 inches long, with toothed edges, leaf base uneven, green above and paler below.

Flowers

Pale yellow, in clusters several inches long, hanging below a long, gracefully curving leafy wing, appearing in early to mid-summer.

Fruit

Round, ¼ inch nutlet covered with gray-brown hair; in hanging clusters below a curving, leafy bract, which in autumn acts as a wing to carry the seeds away with the wind.

Bark

At first smooth and gray-green, later turning gray-brown, fibrous, ridged with long, shallow furrows and flat topped ridges.

Twigs

Moderately thick, zigzag, green (summer) or red (winter); buds plump with one side bulging out more than the other.

Values and Uses

The wood is cream colored, lightweight, soft, tough but not durable. It is used for pulp, carved woodenware, excelsior, boxes and barrels. The inner bark produces a fibrous material used for weaving baskets, rope and mats. A variety of wildlife eat the seeds, twigs and buds. Bees use the fragrant flowers to make a choice honey. Basswood is often planted as a shade tree.

Did You Know?

Tilia caroliniana and Tilia heterophylla are very closely related to this species. In fact, all are often simply grouped together as "Tilia species."