in I : AMERICAN LINDEN OR BASSWOOD 



Tilia americana L. 



I he Linden Family 



TII.I \< KAE 



Habit .ind Habitat: \ la ree, ranging in height from 50-60 



t with a tall. Btraight trunk 1-2 feet in diameter as it develops in this 

 state. The rounded or spreading crown is 'formed from numer< 

 slender and more or less angular limbs densely arranged upon t! ral 



large branches. Found naturally only in rich moist woods and along 

 river-bottoms in well-drained soils and where there is an abundance of 

 light 



Leaves and Hud-: The leaves are alternate, simple. ii-l inches 

 lorn: and almost as wide as long, obliquely heart-shaped, coarsely toothed 

 or serrate, thick and firm, smooth, dull, dark green above, pale beneath. 

 Veil ry prominent: petiole slender. 1-2 inches long. Buds ovoid, 



acutely pointed, often lop-sided, smooth, dark red or ruby colored or 

 greenish, V, inch long. 



Flowers and Fruits: The flowers appear late in June or in July 

 and are often produced in great profusion, after the leaves are fully 

 wn, yellowish-white or greenish, downy, fragrant, produced in open, 

 Beveral flowered droopin.tr clusters borne upon slender pedicels, the whole 

 (duster attached by means of a slender peduncle to a narrow, oblong, 

 yellowish, more or less leaf-like bract. Each cluster arises from about 

 the center of the bract. Sepals 5, downy; petals 5, creamy white; stamens 

 many; ovary globular, downy. 



Bark, Twigs and Wood: The bark upon the twigs is smooth, reddish 

 or gray, becoming dark gray or brownish, dark gray and smooth on 

 young stems, and on old branches and the main trunk thick and deeply 

 furrowed the brad ridges becoming more or less scaly, the ridges 

 usually flat-topped. The twigs are usually zigzag; leaf-scars oval or 

 elliotical. The wood is soft li^ht colo: •metimes tineed with grcn 



or brown, even and fine-grained, tough, light, easy to work; used in the 

 manufacture of paper-pulp and under the name of "whitewood" u-e 1 

 in great quantities for woodenware, cheap furniture, panels of carriages, 

 the interior woodwork of bureaus and dressers, toothpicks, etc. Not dur- 

 able in contact with the soil. 



Distribution in the State: Occurs in a narrow belt of woods from 



"0 miles wide from southeastern Nebraska along the Missouri river 



t'> the mouth of the Niobrara river thence uo that river as far west as 



Dtral Cherry county: also along the Blue river in southern 

 I and in Nance and Platte counties. Planted widely throughout 

 the eastern half of the state where it does very well after once 

 1. Map 48. 



Remarks: This is a rapidly growing tree and is very desirable 

 as an ornamental and shad*- tree. It is ea a ily moved and readily I 

 comes established in a great variety of conditions, doing very well even 

 in • m Nebraska if watered frequently during periods of drought. 



It should be planted much m< mmonly as a street tree, being far 



sup'-r! the introdu n linden for this purpose. It i 



plant and it is filled with bees when in blossom. 





