Tree Talk: Lindens

Lindens are another great choice for community tree plantings. American linden is also known as basswood, with a soft wood that is used for carving things like duck decoys. This tree is native to the eastern part of the state. While cottonwood reigns as the largest-statured tree in North Dakota, lindens can grow to substantial size in preferred locations. Communities in the northeastern corner of the state are home to very large lindens with trunk diameters of nearly three feet and heights up to 75 feet! That's a big tree for this prairie state – but it's all about placing the right tree in the right place, with special consideration for the type of soil at the planting site. Lindens sport fragrant creamy-yellow flowers in mid-to-late June, which are favored by bees, with great-tasting honey as a result of the bee visits. The flowers eventually form pea-sized "nutlets" which are eaten by birds and squirrels. Lindens display a beautiful dark green canopy which turns yellow in the fall. Individual leaves are heart-shaped with a serrated leaf edge. Other related smaller-statured species suitable for planting include little-leaf linden (cultivar 'Greenspire'), and Mongolian linden ('Harvest Gold'). American linden cultivars include 'Boulevard', 'Frontyard' and 'Redmond', some with a narrow canopy for smaller planting sites. Lindens are relatively pest-free and are a great choice for planting to increase tree species diversity in North Dakota communities.

See 'Recommended Trees for North Dakota Communities' on the ND Forest Service website: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/ndfs

Take a Look: See a 'Boulevard' linden tree planted this year as part of the grant project on the 300 block of 3rd Avenue South. A few of the largest lindens in New Rockford are on the 400 block of 2nd Avenue North, where they tower above the street.

REMINDER: WATER your trees weekly, both young and old, with a slow trickle from a hose. Mulch any newly planted trees to retain soil moisture, suppress weed growth, and to keep mowers and trimmers away from tender bark on young trunks.