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THE GARDEN SAGEA library of living things
Trees & woodland lore · Western North Carolina field companion

Redmond American linden

Tilia americana

Leaves. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.
Leaves. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadePatrick Brown ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; no diagnostic content altered.

Pollinator-rich native shade tree; avoid very dry sites and expect some insect feeding.

Sun Exposure
Full sun–part shade
MATURE HEIGHT (FT)
50–70
MATURE WIDTH (FT)
30–45
BLOOM SEASON
Early summer
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Get to know this plant.

Identification clue 1

Heart-shaped uneven leaf bases

Identification clue 2

Sharp marginal teeth

Identification clue 3

Fruit cluster hangs below a pale bract

Read the leaves

A large heart-shaped blade has an unequal base and sharp teeth; leaves attach alternately.

More growing details

Read the bark

Gray bark becomes furrowed with long ridges.

Fruit & seed

Small nutlets dangle below a narrow pale leafy bract, an especially useful field clue.

Winter character

Alternate buds and remaining fruit bracts support identification.

Origin & place

The species occurs naturally in the southern Appalachian region; a planted specimen is not evidence of wild local origin.

Compare with Redbud

Redbud has smooth-edged leaves and flat pods; linden has toothed leaves and bract-supported nutlets.

WNC Notes

Pollinator-rich native shade tree; avoid very dry sites and expect some insect feeding.

Sun Exposure

Full sun–part shade

MATURE HEIGHT (FT)

50–70

MATURE WIDTH (FT)

30–45

BLOOM SEASON

Early summer

BLOOM COLOR

Pale yellow fragrant

FALL / WINTER COLOR

Yellow

Wet-Soil Tolerance

High

Drought Tolerance

Low

LOOK CLOSELY

Two views, a closer look.

Place two photographs beside one another. Compare the overall plant with leaves, flowers, or bark when those views are available. Captions identify what each photograph actually shows. Images are not at the same scale; species references may show different cultivars.

Leaves. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.
Leaves. Taxon reference; photograph alone does not establish a named cultivar.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadePatrick Brown ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; no diagnostic content altered.
Ridged bark of American linden — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.
Ridged bark of American linden — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.☀ Full sun · ◐ Part sun or part shadeRob Duval ↗ · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.

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