AMERICAN LINDEN; BASSWOOD (Tilia Americana, 75 to 125 feet. Tall tree with round or irregular head of abundant foliage; trunk stout. Dark brown, scaly, with deep furrows, inner layer tough. Wood soft, fine-grained, free from knots, hard to split, used by wood-carvers, and for fur niture, to be veneered, cooperage, shoe soles, charcoal, fuel. Buds plump, red, leaves broad, heart-shaped, saw-toothed, oblique at base, with prominent veins, branching mainly on the side next to the leaf stem. Length of leaf 5 to 8 inches.
Flowers June and July, small, perfect, creamy, fragrant, in cluster on stem with green blade. Fruit woody balls cc ntain ing 2 or S seeds each, clustered on stem winged for flight by the thin blade. Dist.: New Brunswick to Dakota; south to Alabama and Texas, following the highland regions. Pre ferred habitat, moist, rich woodlands. Planted for shade and for bee pasture.