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American Sentry® linden

Tilia americana 'McKSentry'

Common names:
American Sentry® linden, American Sentry® basswood

Content Detail

The American Sentry linden is a dense shade tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant flowers. This cultivar is particularly symmetrical and is reported to have some resistance to Japanese beetle.

This plant is a cultivar of a species that is native to the Chicago region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research. Cultivars are plants produced in cultivation by selective breeding or via vegetative propagation from wild plants identified to have desirable traits.

  • Family (English) Linden
  • Family (botanic) Tiliaceae
  • Planting site City parkway, Residential and parks, Wide median
  • Tree or plant type Tree
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Chicago area, Illinois, North America
  • Size range Large tree (more than 40 feet)
  • Mature height 40-45 feet
  • Mature width 25-30 feet
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
  • Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
  • Tolerances Alkaline soil, Dry sites, Wet sites
  • Season of interest early summer, midsummer, late summer, early fall, mid fall
  • Flower color and fragrance Fragrant, Yellow
  • Shape or form Pyramidal
  • Growth rate Moderate
  • Transplants well Yes
  • Wildlife Butterflies
  • Has cultivars NA

Native geographic location and habitat: 

This is a cultivated variety of a native tree.

Bark color and texture: 

The bark is gray, ridged, and furrowed.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:  

The leaves are simple, alternate, and heart-shaped ranging from 4 to 8 inches long. The margins are coarsely toothed. Summer color is dark green above and lighter green on the lower surface. The fall color is pale yellow.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:  

Creamy yellow flowers hang in clusters of five to ten flowers per cluster, blooming in early summer.  Each cluster is accompanied by a long, strap-shaped bract. The flowers are very fragrant.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions: 

Fruits are small, round nutlets, accompanied by a long strap-like bract.

Plant care:

Lindens perform best in moist, well-drained soils.  They are adaptable to alkaline soils.

List of pests and diseases:

Aphids and linden borer are possible insect problems. Anthracnose and verticillium wilt are possible fungal problems. This plant shows some resistance to Japanese beetles.

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