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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Tilia americana var. heterophylla

Mountain Basswood, White Basswood

Scientific Name:

Tilia americana var. heterophylla

Genus:

Tilia

Species Epithet:

americana

Common Name:

Mountain Basswood, White Basswood

Plant Type

Tree

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Invasive Status:

(*Key)

Size:

36-72 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

Yellow

Light:

Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Dry, Moist

Bloom Time:

May, June, July

Growing Area:

Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

Rich coves and mesic to dry slopes (the drier sites usually on limestone), often one of the most abundant trees in Southern Appalachian cove forests. Rare in the NC Coastal Plain, common elsewhere in the state.

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

Highest Wildlife Value

Landscape Value:

Highly Recommended and Available

State Rank:

S5: Secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G5 - Secure, G_T_: Subspecies or Variety Rank (add status to NOTES section) (*Key)

Notes:

Three varieties of T. americana in NC according to Weakley's 2022 Flora;
T. americana var. americana
T. americana var. caroliniana
T. americana var. heterophylla

Alternate, broad, heart-shaped leaves that are lopsided at the base (assuming this is var. heterophylla based on the county occurrence records in Vascular Plants of NC)

Wilkes County NC

The Scientific Name is Tilia americana var. heterophylla. You will likely hear them called Mountain Basswood, White Basswood. This picture shows the Alternate, broad, heart-shaped leaves that are lopsided at the base (assuming this is var. heterophylla based on the county occurrence records in Vascular Plants of NC) of Tilia americana var. heterophylla

Lisa Lofland Gould

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record



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