American basswood | Tilia americana

Family (English) Linden
Family (botanic) Tiliaceae
Planting site City parkway, Residential and parks, Wide median
Tree or plant type Tree
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Chicago area, Illinois, North America
Size range Large tree (more than 40 feet)
Mature height 60-80 feet
Mature width 30-60 feet
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
Drought tolerance Moderately tolerant
Other tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Dry sites, Occasional drought
Season of interest early summer, midsummer, early fall, mid fall
Flower color and fragrance Fragrant, Yellow
Shape or form Oval, Pyramidal, Round
Growth rate Moderate
Transplants well Yes
Planting considerations Highly susceptible to ice damage
Wildlife Game mammals, Small mammals
Has cultivars Yes

More Information

Native Geographic Location and Habitat

Native to the Chicago region. C-Value: 5.

Bark Description

The bark is gray, ridged, and furrowed.

Leaf Description

Simple, alternate, heart-shaped leaves range from 4 to 8 inches long. Margins are coarsely toothed. Summer color is dark green above and lighter green on the lower surface. Fall color is pale yellow.

Flower Description

Creamy yellow flowers in hanging clusters or five to ten bloom in early summer. Each cluster is accompanied by a long, strap-shaped bract. The flowers are very fragrant.

Fruit Description

Fruits are small, round nutlets accompanied by a long strap-like bract.

Cultivars

These plants are cultivars of a species that is native to the Chicago Region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research. Cultivars are plants produced in cultivation by selective breeding or via vegetative propagation from wild plants identified to have desirable traits.

American Sentry® American basswood (Tilia americana ‘McKSentry’)

This cultivar has a very symmetrical pyramidal canopy. Growing 45 feet high and 30 feet wide, it is reported to have some resistance to Japanese beetles.

Boulevard American basswood (Tilia americana ‘Boulevard’)

At 50 feet high by 25 feet wide, this cultivar has a narrow, pyramidal habit.

Continental Appeal™ white basswood (Tilia americana var. heterophylla ‘Continental Appeal’)

This tree has a narrow, oval form, growing 50 feet high by 30 feet wide. Leaves have a dark green upper surface and a white lower surface.

Legend American basswood (Tilia americana ‘DTR 123’)

A pyramidal cultivar with good branching structure. Thick, green leaves look good in late summer. Winter stems and buds are bright red.

Redmond American basswood (Tilia americana ‘Redmond’)

‘Redmond’ is a dense, pyramidal cultivar. (Formerly classified as Tilia x euchlora ‘Redmond’).

var. heterophylla white basswood (Tilia americana var. heterophylla)

This tree, once considered a separate species, is now considered a variety of the American linden. It is known as white basswood or beetree linden. It is very similar to American linden, except that the lower sides of the leaves are covered with dense hairs, giving a white appearance. It is tolerant of drought tolerance.