VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Tilia americana | Basswood 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Basswood wood is soft and light; it is valued for hand carving and has
many other uses including cooperage, boxes, veneer, excelsior, and pulp
[15,16].  Basswood is economically important for timber, especially in
the Great Lakes States [16].

Carey and Gill [11] rated basswood as fair (their lowest rating) for
firewood.


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Basswood is preferred browse for white-tailed deer [67].  Basswood
flowers are visited by honeybees for nectar [16].  The easily decayed
wood produces a disproportionate number of cavities which are used by
cavity-nesting animals including wood ducks [21], pileated woodpeckers
[34], other birds, and small mammals [11].  Carey and Gill [11] rate
basswood as fair (their lowest rating) for all wildlife.


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Basswood is of limited use in mixed hardwood plantings on disturbed
sites in Ohio [75].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Basswood is planted as a shade tree or ornamental [16].  The fibrous
inner bark ("bast") has been used as a source of fiber for rope, mats,
fish nets, and woven baskets [15,16].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Basswood stump sprouts can be managed for sawtimber [16].  The number of
stump sprouts declines with the age and size of the cut trees [7].
Since sprouts originating at or below the ground line are more resistant
to butt rot, stumps should be cut very close to the ground [46] or
burned [57].  Early thinning of sprouts is needed to ensure good quality
and rapid growth [16].  In West Virginia an average of 14.4 7-year-old
stump sprouts per clump was removed to allow good growth of the
remaining one or two stems [45].  Larger stems (greater than 51.7 inches
[1.31 m] d.b.h. will also respond to release [63].

Direct seeding may also have potential for good basswood regeneration
[20]; natural seed reproduction can be encouraged by shelterwood cutting
systems [16].  Shelterwood systems also enhance basswood production
where advance regeneration is large enough to compete successfully with
other hardwoods and shrubs [7].  Advance growth should be 2 feet (0.6 m)
or more in height before the overstory is harvested [42].  Sites that
are harvested to 60 percent residual stems may need to be cut again to
allow the best growth of northern hardwoods (including basswood) [55].
Even-aged management systems can also be used successfully for basswood,
particularly where sprouts have been properly thinned [23].

Basswood and other tolerant species are often established in the
understory of oak (Quercus spp.)-hickory (Carya spp.) stands, and tend
to take over a site when the overstory is harvested, regardless of the
silvicultural system used [61].  Basswood invasion of mixed oak stands
is a problem for oak regeneration in Wisconsin [13].

High densities of white-tailed deer can result in basswood seedling
height growth reduction or even complete loss of basswood from the stand
due to overbrowsing [67].  On oldfield sites basswood is often subject
to damage from mice and voles girdling the stems.  Rabbits also feed
heavily on seedlings and small saplings.  Seed predators include mice,
squirrels, and chipmunks [16].

Insect pests of basswood include the linden borer (which damages weak,
very young, or overmature trees) and the following defoliators:  linden
looper, basswood leafminer, spring cankerworm, fall cankerworm,
white-masked tussock moth, gypsy moth, and forest tent caterpillar.
None of these pests is considered a serious threat [16].  Basswood is
easily decayed by fungi, and butt rot is an important factor in loss of
merchantable timber [16].

Basswood is susceptible to many herbicides, but is resistant to 2,4-D
and 2,4,5-T [8].

Related categories for Species: Tilia americana | Basswood