Basswood is a favorite carving wood and shade tree.

It grows big, ultimately gets hollow, gets real creative in limb direction and thrives around waterways.

People tend to like basswood's flambouyant behavior, although the roots get get pesky.

These young basswoods were purposely wound together in 1990, and decided to grow that way.

Basswoods have very rough bark and their branches are ideal for treehouses and swings.