American Basswood

Researched by Megan Heminghaus

Species: Tilia americana
Common name: American Linden, American basswood, lime, whitewood
Family: Malvaceae
Clade: Angiosperm

Coordinates: 39.71019534, -75.12036257

Tree Tag: 928
A tag using this number is placed near the tree.

American basswood, Tilia americana, was reportedly named by Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist who developed binomial nomenclature, the scientific naming system for species. This species is also known as American linden and whitewood. American basswood is a deciduous tree, meaning it loses its leaves each fall. It is a member of a group of plants called angiosperms that produce flowers and fruit. The trees grow all over the eastern United States but prefer to be about 1500 meters above sea level. The trees rarely form pure stands and usually grow in mixed deciduous forests. Basswood don’t typically begin seeding until age 15, which gives the tree plenty of time to reproduce, as they can live up to 100 years old. Once the trees produce seeds, they usually have a low germination rate. Those that germinate grow quickly and up to 80 feet tall.

The American Basswood has a rich history of use by Native Americans and early European settlers. The inner bark has tough fibers called bast, which can be used for ropes, nets, and cords when pulled from the tree in strips. The Iroquois tribe used basswood for art. They would carve masks into the tree’s bark, cut them off, and use them for ceremonial purposes. Today, the trees are harvested for timber and sometimes used for handmade beehive frames.  Read More