American Linden 'Redmond' is a stately deciduous shade tree native to Eastern North America, prized for its large rounded crown and fragrant golden flowers that bloom in June. This cultivar typically grows 50 to 80 feet tall (occasionally reaching over 100 feet) with a spread of 30 to 50 feet, thriving in hardiness zones 2 through 8. Hardy to frost and surprisingly drought-tolerant once established, it demands minimal maintenance while delivering decades of cooling shade and attracting pollinators and birds. The tree has a long life expectancy of 100 to 200 years, reaching flowering maturity in about 15 years.
1080
Partial Sun
Moderate
2-8
840in H x 600in W
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Moderate
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The fragrant June blooms alone justify planting this tree; their sweet scent drifts across the entire landscape on warm evenings, drawing butterflies and bees in waves. Beyond the flowers, American Linden offers that rare combination of toughness and grace: it tolerates drought, handles clay soil, and thrives in zones as cold as zone 2, yet it grows fast enough to provide substantial shade within a reasonable timeframe. Once established, it asks almost nothing of you except patience and occasional structural pruning.
American Linden serves primarily as a landscape shade tree and ornamental flowering specimen. Its large, rounded crown provides substantial cooling shade in residential and public spaces. The fragrant blooms attract pollinators and support beneficial insects, making it valuable in gardens designed to feed birds and butterflies. Its native status and wildlife benefits have also established it as a preferred choice in ecological restoration and native plantings across eastern North America.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Seeds require stratification and germinate best between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Start seeds indoors in early spring, providing a cold period (cold stratification) to break dormancy before placing them in warm conditions to germinate.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last frost date in your zone. Space trees approximately 90 feet apart to allow for mature canopy spread. Plant in spring or early fall when soil is moist and workable.
Prune American Linden in late winter or early spring to establish a strong central leader and remove crossing or damaged branches. Young trees benefit from structural pruning to develop a balanced form. Remove any dead, diseased, or storm-damaged wood promptly. Avoid heavy topping, as it can weaken the tree and create entry points for disease. Once mature, the tree requires minimal intervention beyond the occasional removal of lower branches to maintain clearance.
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“American Linden, also known as American Basswood (Tilia americana), has deep roots in North American forests, naturally distributed from Quebec and Manitoba south through the Appalachian Mountains, the Ohio River Valley, and into Oklahoma and Tennessee. Its timber and inner bark were valued by Native peoples long before European settlement. The tree was recognized as a desirable landscape species by colonial gardeners as early as 1752, when cultivation began in earnest. Its longevity, coupled with its utility as both a timber and ornamental tree, has ensured its presence in American gardens and forests for nearly three centuries.”