Buds: Ovoid, red, smooth, up to ¼ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate, pointed at the tip, heart-shaped at the very asymmetrical base, up to 8 inches long, up to ⅔ as broad, coarsely toothed along the edges, green and smooth on the upper surface, paler and smooth or with tufts of hair on the lower surface; leafstalks up to 2 inches long, smooth.
Flowers: Few in clusters on a long stalk attached to a paddle-shaped structure, each flower fragrant, greenish-yellow, with 5 petals, appearing in June and July.
Fruit: Hard, spherical but often with a short point at the tip, up to ⅓ inch in diameter, light brown, finely hairy.
Wood: Light in weight, close-grained, strong, not durable.
Uses: Coarse construction, furniture, paper pulp, fuel.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: New Brunswick across to Manitoba, south to Texas, east to North Carolina.
Distinguishing Features: The large, heart-shaped leaves sometimes resemble the leaves of the Red Mulberry, but the leafstalks of the Basswood do not have milky sap in them. The Basswood differs from the White Basswood by the virtual absence of hairs on the lower surface of the leaves.
