Tilia platyphyllos Laciniata - Lime

The Tilia platyphyllos 'Laciniata' is a selection of the lime tree that stands out for its laciniate foliage, which is original. This form is also characterised by slow growth and slightly less development. Its summer flowering is abundant, fragrant, and melliferous. Its foliage, which turns yellow in autumn, is an additional asset, as is the beautiful grey bark that cracks as it ages. This deciduous tree is easy to grow in ordinary soil that remains moist in summer.

The Tilia platyphyllos belongs to the Tiliaceae family. Quite rare in its natural state, this lime tree is native to Western Europe and present in France, particularly in high-altitude forests and gorges in the east of our territory. This species is absent from the Mediterranean region. Its growth is quite slow, and in good conditions, it can reach a height of 35 m and a width of 22 m (72ft). In cultivation, it reaches a height of 20 m (66ft) with a spread of 10-15 m (33-49ft). This lime tree can live up to 1000 years. Also known as the Dutch lime tree, it is a majestic deciduous tree, often planted as a shade tree in parks or rows along avenues.

The Tilia platyphyllos 'Laciniata' has a broad pyramidal habit, with a semi-open crown atop a rather massive trunk. The young branches are fuzzy, reddish-brown, punctuated with elongated light lenticels. They become more gray over time. The leaves are alternate, 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6in) long, with irregular lobes bordered by small teeth. Reddish in the bud and fuzzy, they turn a bright green colour on the upper surface in summer, showing a fuzzy underside and yellowish hairs at the angle of the veins. In autumn, they turn golden yellow. The abundant flowering usually takes place in June. The small flowers are pale yellow with lime green stamens, arranged in pendant corymbs of 2 to 5, attached to the branches by long petioles. Remarkably fragrant and rich in nectar, they delight bees and herbal tea enthusiasts. They are followed by small rounded fruits with 5 prominent ribs attached to a wing called a samara, initially green and then turning grey.

The Dutch lime tree 'Laciniata' will be planted by a collector of rare trees for posterity in a garden large enough to accommodate it. It can be planted as a solitary shade tree or in rows along a long avenue. If you have enough space, place two specimens at the entrance of the garden to frame a beautiful gate. You can pair it with other trees or shrubs such as Parrotia, Caramel tree, winged spindle (Euonymus alatus), and let a Virginia creeper climb on them to create a vibrant grove from September to November. Its flowers are an important source of nectar, valuable for beekeepers. A Japanese medlar, flowering in October-November with a scent of bitter almond, a black locust, and the Honey Tree (Tetradium danielli), flowering from June to August, can also play this vital role if you have a beehive in your garden.