Plant Index
Tilia americana
Tilia americana L.
american basswood
Image ID: 17817
Image by: Sorrie, Bruce A.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library
PLANT INDEX
ID_PLANT: TIAMSCIENTIFIC NAME: Tilia americana
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-08-30
GENUS INDEX
GENUS CODE: TILIAGENUS SCIENTIFIC: Tilia
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Basswood
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 25-45 species, trees, of temperate regions of North America, Europe and Asia. Hardins (1990) treatment of American Tilia seems a practical and reasonable approach; it gives taxonomic status to the more distinctive (and geographically based) elements of variation, while recognizing the intergradational nature of the variation; McCarthy (2012) agreed with Hardin’s entities and their ranks. Pigott (2012), however, differed in his interpretation (see synonymy). Further investigation of this complex group is, however, warranted.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: While the varieties treated below are broadly distinctive and have definite geographic distributions across e. North America, they are imperfectly distinct in geographic areas of overlap. In our area, their identification is particularly problematic in Virginia, where individuals in many parts of the state show intergradation between the northern var. americana and the Southern and Central Appalachian var. heterophylla.
GENUS REFERENCES: Strother in FNA (2015); McCarthy (2012)=U; Pigott (2012)=V; Hardin (1990)=Z; Stace (2010)=Y; Haines (2011)=X; Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003). Key adapted from Hardin (1990) and Stace (2010).
FAMILY INDEX
FAMILY CODE: MALVACFAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Malvaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Mallow Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 243 genera and 4000-4500 species, herbs, shrubs, and trees, of cosmopolitan distribution, but especially diverse in the tropics and subtropics. Malvaceae has always been difficult to circumscribe cleanly, relative to members of such families as Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. Molecular evidence now adds to morphologic evidence that traditional circumscriptions of these families are highly polyphyletic. Bayer et al. (1999) present a classification of an expanded Malvaceae, with 9 subfamilies recognized. This family includes several economically important species, including cotton (Gossypium spp.), cacao or chocolate (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus), and cola (Cola acuminata R. Brown).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Bayer et al. (1999); Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003); Fryxell (1988). [including STERCULIACEAE and TILIACEAE]
NCBG DESCRIPTIVES
INTRO:STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: to 50 ft.
DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Tree
LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION: Deciduous
FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: June
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| x |
BLOOM COLOR:
| White | Red | Pink | Orange | Yellow | Green | Blue | Lavender | Purple | Violet | Brown | Not Applicable |
| x | x |
FRUITING PERIOD:
DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: eastern United States
HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: American basswood is a grand, statuesque shade tree that is native to eastern North America and is found in all parts of North Carolina. It is tolerant of clay soil, adaptable to dry, rocky soils, and is somewhat drought tolerant once established. A great tree to plant for wildlife, basswood is a larval plant for several species of butterflies, its fragrant flowers attracts bees and other pollinators (its nectar makes delicious honey!), and its seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. Basswood is the wood of choice for many woodworkers and is used for making furniture, shipping crates, boxes, and veneer.
Bloom Table Text:
NCBG Location:
Cultural Notes:
SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Well-drained
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun, Part Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 2
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 8
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly, Bird Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:
GRIM ACCESSIONS
| acc_id | acc_num | acc_dt | coll_id | Action |
| 1116 | 1985-0860 | View | ||
| 5865 | 1995-0993 | View |
GRIM PLANTINGS
| plt_num | acc_id | loc_num | pers_num | inst_dt | Action |
| 2014 | 1116 | 174 | NCBG staff | 0000-00-00 | View |
| 2015 | 1116 | 157 | NCBG staff | 0000-00-00 | View |
| 2016 | 1116 | 164 | NCBG staff | 0000-00-00 | View |
| 8380 | 5865 | 204 | NCBG staff | 1993-01-01 | View |
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
USDA Symbol: TIAMUSDA Common Name: American Basswood
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (NI)
Distribution: USA (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), CAN (MB, NB, ON, QC, SK)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Tree
NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS
| Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
| Status: | FACU | FACU | FACU | FACU | FACU | FACU | FACU |
WEAKLEY FLORA
SCIENTIFIC NAME:COMMON NAME:
SYNONYMY:
PHENOLOGY:
HABITAT:
COMMENTS:
RANGE MAP:
Key to Map Symbols
ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Malvaceae A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Mallow Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 243 genera and 4000-4500 species, herbs, shrubs, and trees, of cosmopolitan distribution, but especially diverse in the tropics and subtropics. Malvaceae has always been difficult to circumscribe cleanly, relative to members of such families as Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. Molecular evidence now adds to morphologic evidence that traditional circumscriptions of these families are highly polyphyletic. Bayer et al. (1999) present a classification of an expanded Malvaceae, with 9 subfamilies recognized. This family includes several economically important species, including cotton (Gossypium spp.), cacao or chocolate (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus), and cola (Cola acuminata R. Brown).
REFERENCE: Bayer et al. (1999); Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003); Fryxell (1988). [including STERCULIACEAE and TILIACEAE]
ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Tilia L. (Basswood)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 25-45 species, trees, of temperate regions of North America, Europe and Asia. Hardins (1990) treatment of American Tilia seems a practical and reasonable approach; it gives taxonomic status to the more distinctive (and geographically based) elements of variation, while recognizing the intergradational nature of the variation; McCarthy (2012) agreed with Hardin’s entities and their ranks. Pigott (2012), however, differed in his interpretation (see synonymy). Further investigation of this complex group is, however, warranted.
REFERENCE: Strother in FNA (2015); McCarthy (2012)=U; Pigott (2012)=V; Hardin (1990)=Z; Stace (2010)=Y; Haines (2011)=X; Bayer & Kubitzki in Kubitzki & Bayer (2003). Key adapted from Hardin (1990) and Stace (2010).
HERBARIUM RESOURCES
SERNEC: Find Tilia americana in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)UNC SERNEC: Find Tilia americana in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
WEB RESOURCES
USDA: Find Tilia americana in USDA PlantsNPIN: Find Tilia americana in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Tilia americana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Tilia americana
IMAGE USE RECORDS
ID IMAGE: 17817 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)ID IMAGE1: 17817 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 17817 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)