American Basswood

American Basswood

Tilia americana

American Basswood, also known as Linden, is easy to identify.  The flowers poke out of a weird little bract, and then the seeds stay on the tree all winter and even fall to the ground with the bract attached.

The leaves have an offset base, like an elm leaf



The seeds and the bract hang on all winter

The twigs are zig-zaggy. The buds are red and the end bud slants at a 45 degree angle.

The young trees have light colored bark with horizontal lenticels