Tilia tomentosa
Tilia tomentosa is known as the Silver Lime, or, in north America, Silver Linden. It is a tall, deciduous tree native to southeast Europe and southwest Asia. It is not only tall but can have a very thick trunk. The hermaphrodite flowers are pale yellow and appear in mid summer or even later. They have a strong scent which attracts bees to pollenate them. It has the typical heart-shaped leaf common to limes. It is grown commercially for its timber in eastern Europe.
It is an established urban favourite being tolerant of pollution, heat and drought.
Funky Facts File: An infusion made from the flowers is said to be sedative. It is also said that the nectar contains ‘mannose’ that is toxic to some bees, which it does not! A 500-year old tree in a public garden in Romania is known as Eminescu’s Linden Tree because a poet called Mihai Eminescu wrote many of his verses under it, it is now a national monument there.
