Tilia caroliniana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tilia caroliniana |
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| Botanical drawing of Tilia caroliniana subsp. heterophylla. | |
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Tilia
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| Species: |
caroliniana
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Tilia caroliniana is a type of tree that grows naturally in the southern and southeastern parts of the United States and in Mexico. It belongs to the Malvaceae family, which also includes plants like cotton and hibiscus. This tree is sometimes called the Carolina basswood or American basswood.
Contents
Types of Carolina Basswood
The Tilia caroliniana tree has four main types, called subspecies. These are like different versions of the same tree, each with slight differences.
- T. caroliniana subsp. caroliniana
- T. caroliniana subsp. floridana
- T. caroliniana subsp. heterophylla
- T. caroliniana subsp. occidentalis
Some trees that were once thought to be a separate species, Tilia mexicana, are now known to be part of the floridana or occidentalis subspecies. Scientists are still studying these trees to understand them better.
What the Carolina Basswood Looks Like
Tilia caroliniana can grow very tall, up to 30 meters (about 98 feet). That's as tall as a 10-story building! Its trunk can be as wide as 150 centimeters (about 5 feet) across.
Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit
The leaves of this tree are quite large. They are usually 7 to 19 centimeters (about 3 to 7.5 inches) long and 6 to 14 centimeters (about 2.5 to 5.5 inches) wide. The leaves are light green and smooth on top. They have a soft, silvery fuzz on the underside. Some leaves can be huge, even 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) long!
The flowers are bigger than those of a similar tree, Tilia americana. They grow in groups of 10 to 24 flowers together. After the flowers, the tree produces small, round fruit. These fruits are about 13 millimeters (about half an inch) wide and feel fuzzy.
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A T. mexicana tree at Ventnor Botanic Garden.
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A typical leaf from the tree.
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The leaves of a specimen at Ventnor Botanic Garden.
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A very large leaf, more than 30 cm long.
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T. caroliniana subspecies heterophylla in bloom.
Uses of the Tree
The young leaves of the Carolina basswood are safe to eat. You can also use them to make a mild-flavored tea.
Growing Carolina Basswood Trees
Seeds from Mexican Tilia caroliniana trees have been planted in gardens in the United Kingdom. These trees are growing well, even in heavy soil. You can buy these trees from plant sellers in the UK.
Special Trees
In the UK, there is a very special T. mexicana tree at RHS Garden, Wisley. It is known as a "champion tree" by TROBI, which keeps track of important trees. In 2010, this tree was 8 meters (about 26 feet) tall.
The tallest known Tilia caroliniana tree is located on the campus of Radford University in Virginia, USA.
Images for kids
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Tree accessed as T. mexicana at Ventnor Botanic Garden, IoW
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Typical leaf
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Foliage of specimen, at Ventnor B G.
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Large leaf, >30 cm long
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Flowering T. caroliniana subsp. heterophylla
See also
In Spanish: Tilia caroliniana para niños
