: I've seen a picture of a beautiful boat made from basswood.

From My Audubon Field Guide

BASSWOOD (LINDEN) FAMILY (Tiliaceae)

Trees, or in tropical regions also shrubs and herbs, deciduous except in tropics, commonly with fibrous bark; more than 400 species; represented by the basswood or linden genus (Tilia) with 3 native species (American, White and Carolina) and by a few tropical herbs in North America.

American Basswood "American Linden" "Bee-tree" Tilia americana L.
Description: Large tree with long trunk and a dense crown of many small, often drooping branches and large leaves; frequently has two or more trunks, and sprouts in a circle from a stump.
Height: 60-100' (18-30 m). Diameter: 2-3' (0.6-0.9 m).
Habitat: Moist soils of valleys and uplands; in hardwood forests.
Range: SE. Manitoba east to SW. New Brunswick and Maine, south to W. North Carolina, and west to NE. Oklahoma; to 3200' (975 m).

American Basswood, the northernmost basswood species, is a handsome shade and street tree. When flowering, the trees are full of bees, hence the name "Bee-tree"; this species is favored by bees over others and produces a strongly flavored honey. The soft, light wood is especially useful for making food boxes, yardsticks, furniture, and puipwood. Indians made ropes and woven mats from the tough fibrous inner bark.

Carolina Basswood "Linn" "Bee-tree" "Linden" Tilia caroliniana
Tree with narrow, dense crown, large leaves, mostly hairy beneath, and pale yellow flowers.
Height: 30-60' (9-18 m). Diameter: 1-2' (0.3-0.6 m).
Habitat: Moist soils of valleys and rocky uplands; in hardwood forests.
Range: North Carolina south to central Florid. west to central Texas, and north to SE Oklahoma; to 2000' (610 m).

Carolina Basswood, found at lower altitudes, is the southernmost basswood species. Uncommon and usually of small size, the wood is of limited vald but like all basswoods, it is a useful honey plant.

White Basswood "Linden" "Bee-tree" Tilia heterophylla

Large tree with a dense crown of large leaves with whitish lower surfaces. Height: 60-80' (18-24 m). Diameter: 2' (0.6 m).
Habitat: Moist soils of valleys and uplands in hardwood forests.
Range: SW. Pennsylvania south to NW. Florida, and west to N. Arkansas and Missouri; also local north to W. New York; at 200-5000' (61-1524 m).

From some distance the trees can be distinguished by the whitish lower leaf surfaces that are upturned by breezes. Sprouts arise from the base of a tree, sometimes forming a ring around the trunk. Like American Basswood, this species is useful for making boxes, furniture, and puipwood and yields a
fragrant honey.

European Linden "Common Linden" Tilia Xeuropaea

Description: Large, cultivated, shade tree with dense pyramid-shaped crown. Height: 70' (21 m). Diameter: 2' (0.6 m).
Habitat: Moist soils in humid temperate regions.
Range: Intoduced hybrid cultivated Across U.S., Especially NE and NW.

A hybrid of two European species, Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata) and Bigleaf Linden (Tilia platyphyllos), European Linden is one of several introduced shade trees known as lindens and is related to the native basswoods. The flowers are a source of honey.