Littleleaf Linden

Scientific Name:
Tilia cordata 

Average height at maturity:
60 to 70 feet 

Average width of canopy at maturity:
30 to 40 feet 

Leaves and bark:

  • The littleleaf linden has heart shaped leaves that are 2 to 3 inches long. The leaves are light green in spring and turn darker green in summer and yellow in autumn.
  • The littleleaf linden has grayish-brown bark that is soft when the tree is young and then becomes rigid and furrowed as the tree ages.

Other fun and interesting facts:

  • The littleleaf linden is native to Europe, Western Siberia, and Iran.
  • Littleleaf lindens were one of the first European trees to be planted in American cities when European immigrants arrived in the 19th century.
  • The littleleaf linden is the national tree of the Czech Republic.
  • The littleleaf linden is referred to as a lime tree in Britain and Ireland.
  • Bees are attracted to the flowers of the littleleaf linden.
  • Flowers from the littleleaf linden have been used to treat coughs and colds, and linden is found in many medicinal products.
  • Littleleaf linden leaves and flowers have been used to make a herbal tea called “Linden Tea” or “Lime Tea.”
  • Look for a littleleaf linden near the small playground in Wood Park.

 

Sources:

https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/little-leaved-linden/
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=858
https://madisonsquarepark.org/horticulture/arboretum/tree/little-leaf-linden/
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/50c3cffa62404402baef7e0afc6ebc98
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/tilia-cordata/
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/linden#:~:text=These%20flowers%20were%20steeped%20as,help%20treat%20people%20with%20fevers.
https://dyckarboretum.org/trees-for-the-bees/

 

Photo Credit to Ben Leynse
Information compiled as part of Robert Slater’s 2023 Eagle Scout Project