Honey bees
Nectar value
High
Pollen value
High
Pollinator plant
Basswood
Tilia americana
Linked agroforestry plant data
Pollinator recipe
Bee value
Who this plant supports
Agroforestry database
Complete plant information
Structure
- Vegetation layer
- Tree
- Size
- Large
- Dimensions
- 25.00 m high × 12.00 m wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Deciduous
Site conditions
- USDA hardiness
- 3-9
- Moisture
- Moist
- Soil
- Sandy, Loamy, Clay
- pH
- Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
- Light
- Partial shade, Sun
Uses
- Edible parts
- Leaves, Sap
- Functions
- Charcoal, Fibre, Paper, Timber, Pollinator plant
- Edibility
- 3 out of 5
- Medicinal value
- 3 out of 5
Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked. They have a subtle flavor and a soft, somewhat slimy texture. They make a delicious addition to salads, and when cooked, they resemble vegetables. The sap is harvested from the bark and is used as a refreshing drink. It can also be thickened into syrup and used as a sweetener. Flowers can be eaten raw, for example, added to salads. They can also serve as a tea substitute, due to their sweet and fragrant taste. Some even use them to make a chocolate substitute.