FNPS Plant Database

Tilia americana

basswood, American linden, bee tree
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

basswood, American linden, bee tree

Synonym(s):

Tilia caroliniana, Tilia heterophylla

Genus species:

Tilia americana

Family:

Malvaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Tree

Size:

60–80 ft tall by 40–60 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white, yellow, green

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Deciduous. Blooms in spring. Fruit ripens in fall

Noted For:

Fall Color, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Shade tree for mid-moisture sites.

Considerations:

Dense shade produced by this tree will limit what can be grown under it.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Seed. Can also be managed as a coppice plant.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Acidic to circum–neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars, Mammals

Flowers fragrant and attractive to insects, especially bees. Larval host for red spotted purple butterfly.

Seeds eaten by a variety of small mammals, especially rodents.

Native Habitats:

Mesic forests

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Has been used for lumber/furniture wood. Known as a good honey plant.

General Comments:

Tilia americana var. Caroliniana and T. Americana var. Heterophylla both occur in Florida. Their cultural requirements and appearance are similar.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Burns, Russell M., and Barbara H. Honkala [Technical coordinators]. (1990). Silvics of North America: Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654. ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/1548 ). Accessed 2026.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


University of Tennessee Extension Service. (2010). Desired pH Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants. ( https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/10/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf ). Accessed 2026. University of Tennessee Extension, Knoxville, TN.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

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