From 1892 through 1932 a dynamite factory on this site provided explosives for lead, zinc and coal mines in the tri-state area and nitroglycerin for use in Oklahoma oil fields.
Media
Safety Concerns
Name
Edible
Scientific Name
Tilia americana
Family
Malvaceae (mallows) (formerly Tiliaceae, lindens)
Description
American basswood is a medium-sized tree with small, horizontal, often drooping branches forming a broad, rounded head. It often grows in clumps, with multiple sprouts emerging from the base of older trees.
Leaves are alternate, simple, 5–6 inches long, 3–5 inches wide, and broadest near the base. The leaf base is unequal (lopsided), and the margins rare coarsely toothed. The tip is pointed. The upper surface is dark green and shiny; the lower surface is paler, with tufts of hair in the vein axils.
Bark is light brown to gray, with deep furrows and narrow, flat-topped, long ridges that shed small, thin scales. Often with sprouts around the base of older trees.
Twigs are slender, smooth, green to brown, turning gray with age; pores are numerous; winter buds are dark red, egg-shaped, and ¼ inch long.
Blooms late May–July. The fragrant, pale yellow to whitish flowers are ½ inch in diameter and hang in clusters of 6–15 from a drooping, slender, smooth stalk. The stalk is attached to a strap-shaped, reduced leaf called a bract, which is 2–5 inches long and ¾-1½ inches wide.
Fruits August–October. Dry, woody, nearly round fruits are ¼ inch long and covered with dense brown hairs. The attached bract acts as a wing, helping the seeds spin and travel in the wind as they fall.
Similar species: White basswood (T. heterophylla) has a more limited distribution in Missouri, occurring mainly along rocky woods and bluffs bordering streams. Its leaves are densely but not coarsely toothed, and the lower surfaces are covered with white or brown matted, woolly hairs.
Size
Height: typically to 60 feet; can reach 100 feet in deep, moist soils.
Where To Find
Statewide.
Habitat and Conservation
Occurs in moist woods on lower slopes, at the base of bluffs, and along streams. American basswood has a tendency to sprout from its roots, often forming clumps in the wild. Although widely distributed in the state, large populations are rarely encountered.
Human Connections
A fast-growing, long-lived tree popular for landscaping and along streets, its leaves turn yellow in autumn. The wood is lightweight and fine-textured, often used for carving, musical instruments, woodenware, toys, pulp, furniture, and boxes. Native Americans used the fibrous inner bark for making rope, thongs, baskets, and mats. The young leaves and the flowers are edible, and the flowers have been used as a medicinal "linden tea."
Ecosystem Connections
Bees make a high-quality honey out of the flowers’ nectar, and the fruit is eaten by many species of birds and rodents. Rabbits and deer browse the foliage. Because the wood is soft, older trees often develop cavities that are used for nesting by wood ducks and owls.
Title
Media Gallery
Image
Caption
American basswood, Tilia americana.
Credit
Paul Nelson
Right to Use
Photo by Paul Nelson, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation
Image
Credit
Jim Rathert
Right to Use
Use of this image is restricted to MDC only
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Title
Similar Species
Where to See Species
The area consists of 238 acres of mostly forested land donated to the Missouri Department of Conservation by Dr. and Mrs. Wallace P.
The Conservation Department purchased this scenic, mostly wooded 73-acre tract, located within the city limits of Hannibal, from Mrs. H.J. Freiling in 1979. The area was named after Dr.
Red Rock Landing Conservation Area is on the Mississippi River in Perry County, approximately 10 miles east of Perryville.
About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.
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