Tilia × europaea (T. × vulgaris) Tiliaceae
European or Common Linden, Lime or Common Lime TIL-i-a u-roh-PE-ah
- Deciduous tree, to 100 ft (30 m) tall or more in time, conical form, becoming rounded with age. Shoots green, glabrous and with zig-zag habit. Leaves alternate, simple, broadly ovate, 5-9 cm long and 4-8 cm wide, tip abrubtly acuminate, base obliquely cordate, margin sharply serrate, dark green and glabrous above, bright green below, tufts of hair in axils of lateral veins; petiole 2.5-5 cm long, glabrous. Flowers pale yellow, about 2 cm across, 5-10 per clusters that are 7-8 cm long, floral bract is 7-11 cm long. Fruit globose ovoid, tomentose, faintly 5-ripped, hard shelled.
- Sun to part shade. Tends to sucker from the base, remove as needed. Susceptible to aphids and red spider mites.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 3 A hybrid of between Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos, appears nearer to T. platyphyllos; very common in Europe but not in the U.S. Generally considered to be of less ornamental value than the species often planted in North America, i.e., T. cordata, T. americana, T. euchlora and T. tomentosa.