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Tilia platyphyllos

bigleaf linden

Malvaceae Central and southern Europe

Attracts Pollinators Fragrant (strong)

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 4–8

Overview

Tilia platyphyllos is a large deciduous tree in the family Malvaceae, reaching 65-130 feet (20-40 m) tall with a broad, domed crown and a straight trunk 3-7 feet (1-2 m) in diameter. The bark is grey and smooth, becoming shallowly ridged with age, and young shoots are often reddish and downy. Rounded, heart-shaped leaves 2.5-6 inches (6-15 cm) long are dark green above, paler and softly hairy below, with toothed margins and tufts of whitish hairs in the vein angles. In June and July clusters of three to nine yellowish-white, strongly scented flowers hang from a narrow papery bract, drawing many bees. The fruit is a hard, rounded, faintly ribbed nutlet about 0.4 inch (10 mm) wide. The species is native to woodlands of central and southern Europe, often on lime-rich soils, and is widely planted in parks, avenues, and streets. It is long-lived and tolerates hard pruning but casts dense shade, produces abundant suckers and basal shoots, and its flowers and foliage drip sticky honeydew where aphids are present.

Native Range

Native to central and southern Europe, from France and southern Britain east through Germany and the Balkans to western Asia, mainly on fertile, lime-rich woodland soils. It is widely planted well beyond its native range in parks, gardens, avenues, and along streets.

Suggested Uses

Planted as a specimen and shade tree in large gardens, parks, and on estates, and as a street, avenue, and pleaching tree where its tolerance of pruning is useful. The fragrant flowers are dried for herbal lime-flower tea and are a major nectar source for bees. Its dense canopy gives heavy summer shade over open lawns and walks.

How to Identify

A tall, domed tree with rounded heart-shaped leaves 2.5-6 inches (6-15 cm) long that are softly hairy beneath, with white hair-tufts in the vein junctions, larger and more evenly green than those of small-leaved lime Tilia cordata. Young twigs are usually reddish and downy. The hanging clusters of pale, fragrant summer flowers and the ribbed, hard-shelled fruits also separate it from the smoother-fruited Tilia cordata, whose leaves show rusty rather than white vein-tufts.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height65' - 130'

Width/Spread33' - 50'

Reaches mature size in approximately 50 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Summer

Flowering occurs in June and July, slightly earlier than small-leaved lime, with pendulous clusters of yellowish-white flowers hanging beneath a pale, strap-shaped bract. The flowers are heavily scented and rich in nectar, drawing large numbers of bees and other insects. After flowering the bract acts as a wing that carries the ripe nutlets on the wind.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

clay loam chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

30-50 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Tilia platyphyllos grows in full sun to partial shade on deep, moist, fertile soils, and does well on chalk and clay across a neutral to alkaline pH range. It withstands cold, wind, and urban conditions, and tolerates hard pruning and pollarding, regrowing strongly from cut branches and the base. Young trees transplant readily in the dormant season and establish quickly on most ground except very dry or waterlogged sites. Aphids feeding on the foliage produce sticky honeydew that coats whatever lies beneath the canopy, and the tree throws up suckers and epicormic shoots that need regular removal. It needs little feeding on reasonable soils and is propagated by seed, layering, or cuttings. Mature trees develop a wide crown that calls for plenty of space.

Pruning

It tolerates hard pruning, pollarding, and coppicing, traditionally cut on a regular cycle to produce poles or to hold the size down in streets and gardens. Formative pruning in winter takes out crossing or weak branches, and suckers and basal shoots are removed through the growing season. Pleached and avenue trees are trimmed yearly in late winter to keep their shape.