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NAME: Linden Tree

SPECIES / FAMILY:  Tilia Americana / Malvaceae

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Basswood

CONDITIONS: sun-partial shade
 

PARTS:	EDIBLE	TASTE	RAW/COOK	SEASON
All
Shoots
Leaves		mild	RAW/COOK	Spring/Summer
Stalk/Stem
Buds
Flowers		sweet	RAW/STEEP	Spring
Fruits		sweet	GRIND/DRY/COOK	Fall
Pods
Seeds
Nuts
Roots
Bark
SAP		sweet	RAW/COOK	late Winter

 

PORTION: small-medium

 

COMMENT: Flowers;  Leaves;  Sap. Young leaves - raw or cooked. A mild flavour and a tender but mucilaginous texture, they are very nice in salads. The leaves can be cooked as greens. Sap - obtained from next to the bark and used as a refreshing drink. It can also be concentrated into a syrup and used as a sweetener. Flowers - raw. They can be added to salads. The flowers are used as a tea substitute. They are sweet and fragrant. A very good chocolate substitute is made from a paste of the ground fruits and flowers. Trials on marketing the product failed because the paste decomposes readily.(1)

 

CAUTION: Frequent consumption of the tea made from the flowers may cause heart damage.(1)

 

NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: Leaves contain vitamins and minerals, inner bark has carbohydrates.(4) Antispasmodic;  Demulcent;  Diaphoretic;  Diuretic;  Ophthalmic;  Poultice;  Sedative;  Vermifuge.(1)

 

LOOK-A-LIKES:  

 

POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES: 

 

OTHER USES: Fibre;  Shelterbelt (windbreak);  Wood. A tough fibre is obtained from the inner bark. The bark is soaked in water then boiled. It is then rubbed on a stick to separate the fibres which can then be used for making thread for sewing, fine yarn for weaving bags, clothing etc and cordage for making nets, shoes, twine, mats etc. The white wood is excellent for turning and carving, it is used for making woodenware such as spoons, cheap furniture, pulp etc.

 

SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):

1. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Tilia+americana
2. http://www.eattheweeds.com/basswood-tree-linden-lime-tree
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia_americana
4. http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/basswoodlinden_20.html (good photos)
5. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/trees-with-edible-leaves
6. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/linden-flower-tea-benefits.html
7. http://www.thegardenofeating.org/2016/07/linden-blossom-syrup.html (recipe)
8. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/linden-tea.html (tea)
9. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-greens-chips-recipe-1961387 (leaf chip recipe)