Tilia cordata - Lime

Tilia cordata, or small-leaved lime tree, is a large shade tree, commonly planted in our gardens, parks, and cities. It has a short trunk and a wide, spreading crown with gracefully drooping branches as it ages. Its bark is initially thin, smooth, and silver, becoming grey-brown and fissured when mature. It has abundant deciduous foliage. Its dark green and shiny heart-shaped leaves have a glaucous underside. The foliage turns yellow-gold in autumn before falling. Its fragrant cream-white summer flowering attracts many pollinators, intoxicating bees with their enticing nectar. It is a very hardy tree that tolerates pruning and urban pollution as long as it is planted in deep and moist soil, in a non-scorching exposure. Being tall, it is more suitable for solitary planting in large gardens but can also be trained as a hedge in smaller gardens.

Tilia cordata (synonym Tilia parviflora) belongs to the Malvaceae family and is native to European forests. It is a deciduous, shade-loving tree of large development, with a wide crown that can exceed 30 m (98.4 ft) in height. It is found in hilly and mountainous areas, growing up to 1500 m (492.3 ft) above sea level, mostly in cool, deep, fertile, and acidic to neutral soil. In regions with hot and dry summers, it can be prone to spider mites. Aphids love these trees, making the leaves sticky with the honeydew they secrete, but it does not hinder the tree's development. It has an excellent lifespan, reaching up to 500 years.

It is initially slow-growing but then has a medium growth rate, with a wide and rounded habit. At maturity, it reaches an average height of 25 m (82 ft) with a spread of 15 m (49.2 ft). It has a wide and spreading habit, often with a short and thick trunk, bearing large structural branches that arch and droop. The bark, when mature, is dark brown and channelled, while the young branches are smooth and green to reddish-brown. Its small, alternate, entire leaves measure 5 cm to 8 cm (2 in to 3.1 in) in length and are rounded, heart-shaped at the base, and finely toothed along the edges. The upper surface of the leaf is shiny green, while the undersides are hairy with a glaucous green colour. The leaves turn golden yellow in autumn and fall quite early in the season. Flowering occurs in early summer, in June-July. Numerous small cream-white flowers are clustered in pendulous corymbs, ranging from 4 to 20, attached to the branches by long petioles. Remarkably fragrant, they delight bees. They are followed by small dry fruits, globose in shape, measuring 5 mm to 8mm (0.2 in to 0.3 in), grey and smooth, and attached to a wing called a samara.

The small-leaved lime tree can be planted as a solitary tree, as it is an easy shade tree to grow in many regions. However, it is best suited for large gardens. It can be highlighted in the middle of a lawn, near a terrace, or in front of the house entrance. In a more rustic setting, you can also plant it with hornbeams, purple beeches, oaks, and ashes, which are interesting for their autumn colours and contrasting foliage shapes. For example, use it in a large group planting, accompanied by maples (Acer campestre, A. griseum, A. monspessulanum), caramel tree (Pseudocydonia sinensis), and winged spindle (Euonymus alatus) to create a vibrant grove from September to November. Its flowers are an important source of nectar, useful for those who raise bees. A Japanese medlar, blooming in October-November with a scent of bitter almond, will also play this nourishing role in a scented garden.

Dried flowers are used in infusions for their calming properties. The nectar from the flowers, collected by bees, produces particularly delicious honey.