Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Linden Tree Common Lime -Root and Branch

Linden Tree Common Lime -Root and Branch

linden tree blossoms
The Lime is a tall growing well shaped tree which is often grown along avenues and public places in the UK. The flowers have an exquisite fragrance.

Key Features of the Common Lime

  • Latin name – Tilia Europaea, other common names Linden tree or Basswood
  • Height – Can grow over 150 feet tall one of the UK’s tallest trees
  • Type of tree – deciduous – dictoyledons
  • Leaves – Thin, green and heart shaped with a tapering tip and fine teeth. Lighter green underneath
  • Flowers – Highly scented pale yellow-green with green bracts at the base. Flower in clusters
  • Fruit – Woody round drupe covered with grey-brown hairs dispersed on the wind by wings.
  • Bark – Grey with shallow fissures when mature
  • Family -Tiliaceae

Origins and Distribution of the Common Lime

  • The tree is widely cultivated throughout Europe.
  • Linden trees are now popular in North America.

Lime tree frost 060131

Uses and Attributes of the Common Lime

  • The common lime can be pleached or coppiced and used as fuel.
  • The white close grained wood is used for fine carving as well as hop-poles, bean-sticks, hat blocks, piano keys, bowls and morris dancing sticks!
  • They are used as an ornamental tree in large parks or estates.
  • The fibrous layer of under-bark called ‘bast’ was historically twisted into ropes.
  • The flowers are used to make a tisane and have medicinal properties

Gardeners Tips for the Common Lime

  • Characteristic large burrs are covered in leaf shoots and there is a tendency to produce unsightly suckers.
  • The tree drops a sticky substance so do not park your car underneath a Lime.
  • The scent of flowers and the attraction of bees out weighs the problem of aphids, that cause the sticky droppings.
  • Leaves turn yellow or brown in autumn

Biking down Lime Tree Avenue in the Autumn

Other types of Common Lime and Tilia

  • The common lime is a hybrid between Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos.
  • The American Lime is shorter but with larger leaves.
  • Tilia dasytyla is medium sized with redish twigs
  • Tilia tomentosa also called the Silver Lime for the underside of the leaves. They look spectacular blowing a slight breeze.

Lime Comparison
2nd tree from left is standard lime, 2nd tree from right is small-leaved lime

Common Lime comments from elsewhere

  • “The Linden Tree” is a play written by Bradford-born novelist and playwright J.B. Priestley..
  • Common Lime attracts wildlife to feed or nest. It is an all-round tough plant suitable for problem areas, fast growing screening, hedging or topiary. Tolerates full sun and sandy, drought-prone soils, cold exposed locations and even heavy clay soils.

Read about our series on British tree reviews with a bakers dozen fact sheets

Credits
Biking down Lime Tree Avenue in the Autumn by ebygomm, CC BY-NC 2.0
“Lime Comparison by Kathy Bragg, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Lime tree frost 060131 by Eva the Weaver CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
“linden tree blossoms by not on your nelly CC BY-NC 2.0

One thought on “Linden Tree Common Lime -Root and Branch

Comments are closed.

Comments are closed.