American Linden

American linden (basswood) is a large eastern North American shade tree with the sweetest-scented flowers of any North American tree, small, pale yellow blossoms hanging in clusters from a leaf-like bract in June, filling the air with a honey-sweet fragrance that stops you on the sidewalk. Bees work the flowers so intensely that basswood honey is a recognized type. The large, heart-shaped leaves provide dense shade, and the tree grows sixty to eighty feet with a broad, rounded crown. Native from New Brunswick to Manitoba and south to the Carolinas and Texas.

In Western Washington, American linden grows well in full sun with moist, well-drained soil. The fragrant June flowers are the primary ornamental feature, and the dense shade is effective for cooling in summer. Several pests are tracked, including aphids that produce honeydew, the sticky residue on cars parked underneath. Japanese beetles, where established, can defoliate the tree in summer. 'Redmond' is the most commonly planted cultivar for street use. For a large shade tree with the most fragrant flowers of any hardy tree and dense, effective summer shade, American linden is a rewarding choice for large properties and parks.