Tilia heterophylla
White Basswood
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Tilia genus in the family Tiliaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Young leaves - raw. A nice mild flavour with a slightly mucilaginous texture[K]. They go well in a mixed salad, though I have found that on their own they tend to leave a slightly rough feeling in the throat[K]. The dried flowers make a refreshing tea substitute[2]. A very good chocolate substitute is made from a paste of the ground fruits and flowers[4]. Trials on marketing the product failed because the paste decomposes readily[4].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Product or use
- Tea
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A tea made from the flowers is antispasmodic, diaphoretic and sedative[6]. A decoction of the inner bark has been used in the treatment of dysentery[10]. A decoction of the bark, mixed with cornmeal, has been used as a poultice in the treatment of boils[10]. A decoction of the inner bark and twigs has been used during pregnancy to treat heartburn, weak stomach and weak bowels[10].
- Product or use
- Antispasmodic
- Product or use
- Diaphoretic
- Product or use
- Poultice
- Product or use
- Sedative
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A fibre is obtained from the tough inner bark It can be made into diverse items such as rope, mats, shoes and coarse cloth[7][10]. Wood - soft, light, weak, straight grained[7][8]. It weighs 26lb per cubic foot[8]. Widely used in interior finishing, cabinet making, woodenware, paper making and for piano keyboards[7].
- Product or use
- Fibre
- Product or use
- Wood
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Canopy
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - New York to Florida.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - much of the seed produced in Britain is not viable, cut a few seedcases open to see if there is a seed inside[13]. If possible, obtain fresh seed that is ripe but has not as yet developed a hard seed coat and sow it immediately in a cold frame. It may germinate in the following spring though it could take 18 months[13]. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate. It has a hard seed coat, embryo dormancy and a hard coat on the pericarp. All these factors mean that the seed may take up to 8 years to germinate[13]. One way of shortening this time is to stratify the seed for 5 months at high temperatures (10°c at night, up to 30°c by day) and then 5 months cold stratification[13]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Layering in spring just before the leaves unfurl. Takes 1 - 3 years[12]. Suckers, when formed, can be removed with as much root as possible during the dormant season and replanted immediately[5].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a good moist loamy alkaline to neutral soil but succeeds on slightly acid soils[1][5]. Grows poorly on any very dry or very wet soil[5]. Dislikes exposed positions[5]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade[3]. A moderately fast growing and long-lived species in the wild[7]. It prefers a continental climate, growing more slowly and not producing fertile seed in areas with cool summers[5]. It is fairly susceptible to forest fires because it has a thin bark[7]. Lime trees tend to hybridise freely if other members of the genus are growing nearby[9]. If growing plants from seed it is important to ensure the seed came from a wild source or from an isolated clump of the single species[K]. Grows best in a woodland situation, young plants tolerate a reasonable level of side shade[5]. Trees are usually attacked by aphids which cover the ground and the leaves with a sticky honeydew[3]. Closely related to T. americana[1]. Quite tolerant of root disturbance, semi-mature trees up to 5 metres tall have been transplanted successfully. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[5].
References
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649
Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00
McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6