Large Leaved Lime, Largeleaf linden, Bigleaf Linden
Tilia platyphyllos

Family: Tiliaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Oval, Pyramidal.

Tilia platyphyllos is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 30

Where it is found

Woods on good calcareous or base rich soils.

Europe, from Britain and Belgium south and east to Spain, Crimea, Caucasus and W. Asia.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 5

Young leaves - raw. A delicious addition to salads and sandwiches, the young leaves are mild and tender with a somewhat mucilaginous texture. A very acceptable chocolate substitute can be made from a paste of the ground-up flowers and immature fruit. Trials on marketing the product failed because the paste is very apt to decompose. A popular herb tea is made from the flowers, it has a sweet, fragrant pleasant flavour. Some caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity. Sap - harvested in the spring, it is sweet and can be used as a drink or concentrated into a syrup.

Sap: usually of trees and usually but not always used as a drink.

Chocolate: substitutes for chocolate, that is.

Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

Medicine

Rating: 3

Lime flowers are a popular domestic remedy for a number of ailments, especially in the treatment of colds and other ailments where sweating is desirable. A tea made from the fresh or dried flowers is antispasmodic, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypotensive, laxative and sedative. Lime flower tea is also used internally in the treatment of indigestion, hypertension, hardening of the arteries, hysteria, nervous vomiting or palpitation. The flowers are harvested commercially and often sold in health shops etc. Lime flowers are said to develop narcotic properties as they age and so they should only be harvested when freshly opened. A charcoal made from the wood is used in the treatment of gastric or dyspeptic disturbances and is also made into a powder then applied to burns or sore places. It is also quite an effective vasodilator.

Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.

Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.

Hypotensive: Reduces blood pressure, it is used in the treatment of high blood pressure

Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.

Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.

Other

Rating: 4

A fibre from the inner bark is used to make mats, shoes, baskets, ropes etc. It is also suitable for cloth. It is harvested from trunks that are 15 - 30cm in diameter. The fibre can also be used for making paper. The stems are harvested in spring or summer, the leaves are removed and the stems steamed until the fibres can be stripped. The outer bark is removed from the inner bark by peeling or scraping. The fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten in a ball mill. The paper is beige in colour. Wood - soft, white, easily carved. It is very suitable for carving domestic items and small non-durable items. A charcoal made from the wood is used for drawing and has medicinal properties.

Charcoal: Used for fuel, drawing, deodorant, filter, fertilizer etc.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife

Espalier: A tree or other plant that is trained to grow flat against a support (such as a trellis or wall).

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Espalier, Pollard, Screen, Specimen. Prefers a good moist loamy alkaline to neutral soil but succeeds on slightly acid soils. Grows poorly on any very dry or very wet soils. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade. Plants can be transplanted quite easily, even when quite large, trees up to 60 years old have been moved successfully. Lime trees are very long-lived and are amenable to coppicing or pollarding. This species does not produce many suckers. Grows well in Britain, it is the only species that reliably produces viable seed in areas with cool summers. Lime trees tend to hybridise freely if other members of the genus are growing nearby. If growing plants from seed it is important to ensure the seed came from a wild source or from an isolated clump of the single species. Grows best in a woodland situation, young plants tolerate a reasonable level of side shade. Mature trees cast a dense shade. A very valuable bee plant, producing an abundance of nectar. A valuable tree for wildlife, there are 31 species of insects associated with this tree. A food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species. Trees are usually attacked by aphids which cover the ground and the leaves with a sticky honeydew. There are some named varieties selected for their ornamental value. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Special Features:Not North American native, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - much of the seed produced in Britain is not viable, cut a few seedcases open to see if there is a seed inside. If possible, obtain fresh seed that is ripe but has not as yet developed a hard seed coat and sow it immediately in a cold frame. It may germinate in the following spring though it could take 18 months. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate. It has a hard seed coat, embryo dormancy and a hard coat on the pericarp. All these factors mean that the seed may take up to 8 years to germinate. One way of shortening this time is to stratify the seed for 5 months at high temperatures (10°c at night, up to 30°c by day) and then 5 months cold stratification. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Layering in spring just before the leaves unfurl. Takes 1 - 3 years. Suckers, when formed, can be removed with as much root as possible during the dormant season and replanted immediately.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 4-6

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

If the flowers used for making tea are too old, they may produce symptoms of narcotic intoxication.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

T. grandifolia. T. officinarum. pro parte.