Basswood

Basswoods are about 30 species of trees in the genus Tilia, in the linden family Tiliaceae. In North America, these trees are generally known as bass-woods in forestry, and lindens in horticulture.

Basswoods have simple, long-petioled, coarsely toothed, broadly heart-shaped leaves, arranged alternately on their twigs. The flowers occur in clusters, and emerge from a specialized leaf known as a bract. The flowers produce relatively large amounts of nectar, and are insect pollinated. The ripe fruits are grey, hard, and nutlike, and each contains one or several seeds.

Mature basswood trees issue sprouts from their roots, which develop as shoots around the tree. In addition, after a mature basswood tree is harvested, numerous sprouts arise from the surviving roots and stump, and these can develop into a new tree.

Basswoods produce a relatively light, clear, strong, and durable wood that can be used as lumber to manufacture boxes and crates, furniture, picture frames, and for carving. Basswood honey is another economic product, as is an herbal tea made from the dried flowers. North American species of bass-wood and the related European linden (Tilia cordata ) are commonly planted as shade trees in residential areas.

Four basswood species are native to North America. The most widely distributed is the American basswood (Tilia americana ), a tree of temperate, hardwood forests of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. This is a relatively tall-growing species, which can reach a height of up to 82 feet (25 m). The leaves of this species are largest in relatively shaded parts of the crown, where they can achieve a length of more than 7.8 inches (20 cm) and a width of 3.9 inches (10 cm).

The white basswood (T. heterophylla ) occurs in the eastern United States, while the ranges of the Carolina basswood (T. caroliniana ) and Florida bass-wood (T. floridana ) are the southeastern coastal plain of the United States.

Bill Freedman