American Basswood or American Linden

The American Basswood tree is native to North America and can be found from Manitoba to New Brunswick, and as far south as Florida and Texas. It is also called the American Linden.

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The American Basswood is a deciduous tree that prefers moist to dry soil with a high pH, and grows to 130 feet in height. It can live to be over 200 years old. As the photo shows, it is a simple leaf system characterized by the serrated leaf edges.


It is a very soft wood, so it is used in making crates, for food containers, and sometimes for making solid electric guitars.. Its flowers are attractive to honey bees and so they produce a very high quality honey from the nectar. It is also cultivated as a shade tree because of its leaves and long life. 



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_basswood#cite_note-usfs-0
http://ohiodnr.com/trees/bass_amr/tabid/5335/Default.aspx