Tilia Cordata (Small Leaved Lime)

Tilia cordata, commonly known as Small-leaved Lime, is an elegant, long-lived deciduous native tree valued for its attractive heart-shaped foliage, fragrant summer flowers and impressive mature form. It is an excellent choice for larger gardens, avenues, parkland, woodland planting and landscape schemes.

The tree develops a broadly columnar habit when young, gradually developing a spreading or rounded crown as it matures. Its glossy dark green, heart-shaped leaves, reaching up to around 8cm long, provide a dense canopy through spring and summer before turning bright yellow in autumn.

In midsummer, spreading clusters of up to 10 small, fragrant pale creamy-yellow flowers appear amongst the foliage. The flowers are highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects, making Small-leaved Lime a valuable addition to wildlife-friendly planting schemes.

Growing to around 25 metres in height, Tilia cordata is best suited to larger spaces where it has room to develop its impressive mature crown.

Plant in full sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. With its attractive foliage, fragrant summer blossom and strong, long-lived form, Small-leaved Lime is a superb choice for adding height, structure, wildlife value and seasonal interest to larger gardens and landscapes.