American Basswood – Tilia americana

 

Nomenclature:

  • Tilia americana
  • Family: Tiliaceae

 

Botany and Ecology:

  • Tree height: 60’- 80’
  • Tree diameter: 2’- 3’
  • Leaves are broad, flat, simple, not lobed, double teeth, and pale green on the underside
  • Fruit is loosely clustered, gray-green, has a pit, and does not have husks or capsules nor is it a cone, acorn, or winged
  • Grows in rich, moist, and well-drained soil
  • Wood is soft and light
  • Honeybees feed on the flowers
  • Distribution:
    • United States: AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX ,VA, VT, WI, WV
    • Canada: MB, NB, ON, QC, SK

 

Uses:

  • Edible
    • Young leaves can be consumed raw or cooked
    • Flowers can be consumed raw such as adding them to salads
    • Flowers are a good tea substitute
    • A paste made of ground fruits and flowers makes a good chocolate substitute
  • Medicinal:
    • Tea made from the inner bark can be used internally to treat dysentery, heart burn, and lung complaints; externally it is used to treat burns
    • Tea made from fresh or dried flowers is used to treat hypertension, hardening of the arteries, feverish colds, migraines, etc.
  • Other:
    • Used for making containers, beekeeping supplies, and various wooden products

 

Conservation:

 

Markets and Vendors:

 

 

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