Tilia x europaea – Family: Tiliaceae

General Characteristics

A deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 meters tall, with a dense, globose crown. 

The leaves are serrated, up to 10 cm long, green on the upper surface, lighter on the underside where there is a white, woolly texture near the veins; in autumn, they turn golden yellow. 

The flowers are hermaphroditic, cream-colored, pleasantly fragrant, with 5 sepals and 5 petals, arranged in pendulous inflorescences with a lanceolate, winged bract; many nectar-producing flowers appear after mid-June. 

The fruits are small, pubescent, ribbed nuts.

USES

It is the most common lime tree in Italian cities, highly resistant to stress and urban pollution.

CURIOSITIES

This lime tree is the result of a cross between Tilia cordata and T. platyphyllos, and displays intermediate characteristics of the parent species.

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

It is probably a natural hybrid of Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos, with intermediate characteristics between the parent species.