American Basswood

Tilia americana

tree

American basswood (Tilia americana), or American linden, is a large, handsome native shade tree, 60 to 80 ft tall, with big heart-shaped leaves and, in early summer, drooping clusters of small, pale-yellow, powerfully fragrant flowers backed by a curious leafy bract. Those flowers are the prize: gathered in full bloom, they make the sweet, mild "linden" or "lime-flower" tea beloved across Europe. The tree hums with honeybees when in flower and casts dense shade. It is hardy, long-lived, and easy in deep, rich soil, making it both a fine landscape tree and a reliable source of flowers for the teapot.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Bee Balm — A nectar plant that joins the linden in feeding pollinators through summer
• Comfrey — A nutrient accumulator for a mulch ring around the trunk
• Echinacea — A tough perennial that thrives at the sunny edge of the canopy and draws beneficials

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Linden aphids →

  Heavy colonies drip sticky honeydew; they rarely harm the tree, and a hose rinse plus predators keep them down

• Japanese beetles →

  They skeletonize the soft leaves - hand-pick in the cool morning and avoid lures that draw more

• Verticillium wilt →

  A soil fungus that can kill branches; keep trees vigorous and prune out wilted wood

🌾 Harvest & storage

Gather the flowers in early summer just as they open, when their scent is strongest, picking the whole drooping cluster together with its pale leafy bract on a dry morning after the dew lifts. Dry them gently in a single layer in the shade to preserve the delicate aroma, then store airtight. The bloom season is short, only a week or two, so watch the tree and pick promptly. Use the dried flowers and bracts for tea.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Basswood flowers make the classic linden tea - sweet, mild, and fragrant - and the young spring leaves are edible in salads, tender and mild. The flower tea is a traditional after-dinner drink; very strong, frequent use of the flowers is best avoided. The tree is also a top honey plant, its blossoms yielding prized "basswood honey," and it gives deep summer shade.