Littleleaf Linden, Tilia cordata: “Lime Tree”
On the Fourth of July I got an email from a Canadian friend who was vacationing on the eastern shore of Long Island. She said that all over the town of Southampton, where she was staying, she had been overwhelmed by the “most amazing aroma” of a tree she didn’t recognize.
Photograph by Rudolf Schäfer via Flickr.
Indeed, here in New York City in recent years I have become increasingly aware of the light, sweet perfume of lindens in early summer.
Photograph by Andreas Rockstein via Flickr.
In New York and other urban centers, city planners have increasingly come to acknowledge how vital street trees are for removing pollutants from the air and reducing storm water runoff.
Lindens, particularly the littleleaf linden (which tends not to be as massive as some of its relatives such as the silver linden and the bigleaf linden), are being used more frequently to line city byways.
Photograph by Peter O’Connor via Flickr.
Cheat Sheet
Because it has a dense branching habit, Tilia cordata provides abundant shade.
Photograph by Rudolf Schäfer via Flickr.
Keep It Alive
When deciding where to plant a littleleaf linden, be aware that it is a pollinator magnet. The honey is promoted for its antioxidant qualities and medicinal properties such as aiding digestion and alleviating symptoms of the common cold.