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
Tiliaceae (lindens)
Description
American basswood is a medium-sized tree with small, horizontal, often drooping branches forming a broad, rounded head.
Leaves are alternate, simple, 5–6 inches long, 3–5 inches wide, broadest near the base; margin coarsely toothed; tip pointed, base unequal, rounded; upper surface dark green, shiny; lower surface 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 numerous; winter buds dark red, egg-shaped, ¼ inch long.
Blooms late May–July; 6–15 flowers on a drooping, slender, smooth stalk; stalk attached to a strap-shaped, reduced leaf, 2–5 inches long, ¾-1½ inches wide, smooth, strongly veined; flowers pale yellow to whitish, fragrant, ½ inch in diameter.
Fruits August–October; dry, persistent, nearly round, ¼ inch long, covered with dense brown hairs.
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: to 60 feet.
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. In the eastern states that receive more rainfall and have richer soils, American basswood can reach 130 feet tall.
Human Connections
A fast-growing, long-lived tree popular for landscaping and along streets, its leaves turn yellow in autumn. The wood is 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.
Title
Media Gallery
Image
Caption
American basswood, Tilia americana.
Credit
Paul Nelson
Right to Use
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Credit
Jim Rathert
Right to Use
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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.