Tilia americana L.
American basswood, American linden
Bassword is native to eastern North America.
Plants: Trees are up to 80′ (24 m) tall, rarely over 100’, and roughly oval, but often very irregular in shape. Bark is smooth and gray-green in young trees, becoming furrowed, gray or gray-brown, and fibrous.
Leaves: Alternate, ovate to cordate, heart-shaped, coarsely serrate, 5–6″ (12–15 cm) long, with pinnate veins. Leaves may have light-colored, fuzzy undersides.
Flowers: Lacy clusters, creamy yellow, fragrant, appearing from April to July. They hang on long, narrow petioles from white leafy bracts.
Fruits: Fruits are round nutlets ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter.
Habitats: Rich uplands and midslopes in mixed deciduous forests; on moist, rich, finer sandy/loamy soils.
Online References:
7/2/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 13 × 10″ (33 × 26 cm) 
7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm) 
1/1/2012 · Big Tree Trail • Tudor Richards Natural History and Forest Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire 
7/17/2013 · Near Nashua River Boat Ramp, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 21 cm) 
7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm) 
7/17/2013 · Near Nashua River Boat Ramp, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 21 cm) 
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 6 × 5″ (15 × 13 cm) 
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
6/13/2025 · River Point Conservation Area, Falmouth, Maine 
7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Massachusetts 
7/17/2013 · Near Nashua River Boat Ramp, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 15 × 10″ (37 × 25 cm) 
1/1/2012 · Big Tree Trail • Tudor Richards Natural History and Forest Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire 
7/2/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts 
7/17/2010 · Mackworth Island, Falmouth, Maine 
7/23/2010 · Nashua River Boat Ramp on Rte 119, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
7/26/2025 · River Point Conservation Area, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 17 cm) 
7/17/2013 · Near Nashua River Boat Ramp, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm) 
6/13/2025 · River Point Conservation Area, Falmouth, Maine 
7/17/2013 · Near Nashua River Boat Ramp, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (28 × 18 cm) 
7/2/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (47 × 34 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Malvales | Includes cacao, balsa, lime, linden, basswood, daphnes, hibiscus, hollyhocks, okra, baobab, cotton, kapok, and many others |
| Family | Malvaceae | Includes okra, jute, cacao, hibiscus, many others |
| Genus | Tilia | Any tree of the linden genus Tilia. Probably a borrowing from a Mediterranean substrate, found also in Ancient Greek πτελέα (pteléa, “elm”) and Old Armenian թեղի (tʿełi). |
| Species | americana | “Of or from America” |
Tilia americana description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.