The American Basswood, Tilia americana, is a treasured hardwood tree of the Eastern and Central United States. It has a tall, straight trunk and rounded crown that provides excellent shade during the hot summer months.

Basswood seeds and twigs are a popular food for wildlife and the flowers smell and taste like honey, attracting over 60 insect pollinators, especially honey bees. The soft, light-colored wood has an even grain, long favored by wood carvers. Native Americans used the fibrous inner bark to make rope, which was used to bind wounds and stitch mats made from cattail leaves.