This tree grows right in front of the entrance to Frist Hall (adjacent to Godchaux). It is on your right as you face the entrance.

White basswood has leaves with very uneven leaf bases and a single-toothed margin.  It is distinguished from American basswood by the hairs on the lower surface of the leaves which can give the lower surface a whitish appearance.  However, the amount of hairiness is variable and it is often not easy to determine whether a particular tree is a white basswood or an American basswood.  Some taxonomists do not recognize white basswood as a separate species and call it a subspecies of American basswood.

Basswoods have very distinctive flowers and fruits.  They hang in a cluster below a leaf-like bract.  Bees love the basswood flowers and some say that basswood honey has the best flavor.  In the fall and winter, basswood buds have a very distinctive look and in the wild, large basswood trees often have sprouts surrounding the base of the tree.