AMERICAN LINDEN (Tilia americana)
Height: 50 to 80 feet
Spread: 30 to 50 feet
Bloom Time: June
Bloom Description: Yellowish green
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Suggested Use: Flowering Tree, Shade Tree
Flower: Showy and Fragrant
Tolerate: Drought &, Clay Soils
Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, Birds Native to: Jefferson County
Named for the Quaker Botanist Linnaeus the Linden tree is also known as Basswood and is native to the Jefferson County area. It has a variety of uses in the lumber business from veneers to shipping crates. The bark is used to make rope and mats.
The most notable feature of the tree is its showy and fragrant flowers that attract bees and butterflies. When a tree is in full bloom, bees often visit with such abundance that the trees can be heard humming from several feet away. Pounds of honey will be produced from the nectar of the tree and the honey is a highly prized gourmet food item. George Washington planted the trees around his Upper and Lower Gardens to attract the bees to the area, so that they would also pollinate his fruits and vegetables. The American Linden attracts 151 species of butterflies and moths including the Question Mark and Mourning Cloak as well as 18 genera of birds.
