Woody > Tilia > Tilia americana > Tilia americana
Tilia americana
Basswood, American Linden
Mike's
Opinion
"
A common tree found along rural hedgerows. It is relatively fast growing and produces softwood that is often used in high school shop projects. Of little use in the designed landscape, it can reach a height of 20 m. It is usually found as a multi-stemmed tree.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Malvaceae (Tiliaceae) |
| Genus |
| Tilia |
| Species |
| americana |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 2 - 8 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 0a - 7a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H5 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -46 - (-9) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -50 - 15 |
| Height |
| 30 m |
| Spread |
| 15 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A large, fast growing weak-wooded tree, usually multi-stem and of little ornamental value although the wood has been used in school shop classes since it is cheap and easy to work with. |
| Landscape |
| Limited landscape use except for naturalisation. |
| Shape |
| Multi-stemmed, somewhat pyramidal crown. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| Very large somewhat cordate shaped leaves, multi-stemmed with long coarse bark ridges. |
| Pests |
| Leaf eating and gall insects seem to love this tree. |
| Habitat |
| Along the edges of fields and forests in rich, geneally moist soil. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Bark has long coarse ridges and is dull grey in colour, usually multi-stemmed. |
| Leaf Description |
| Large, to about 15-25 cm across, dull light to medium green, lighter underside, often covered in insect galls late in the season. |
| Flower Description |
| Flowers are quite attractive and fragrant as with most species of Tilia. About 1 cm across, pale yellow with prominat anthers, hanging in clusters. |
| Texture Description |
| Coarse textured tree. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Joany’s Woods, West Williams, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. |
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