''Tilia'' × ''europaea'', generally known as the European lime, common lime (British Isles) or common linden, is a naturally occurring

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

between ''

Tilia cordata ''Tilia cordata'', the small-leaved lime or small-leaved linden, is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae, native to much of Europe. Other common names include little-leaf or littleleaf linden, or traditionally in South East England, pry or p ...

'' (small-leaved lime) and ''

Tilia platyphyllos ''Tilia platyphyllos'', the large-leaved lime or large-leaved linden, is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Malvaceae (Tiliaceae). It is a deciduous tree, native plant, native to much of Europe, including locally in sout ...

'' (large-leaved lime). It occurs in the wild in Europe at scattered localities wherever the two parent species are both

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

.Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins .Flora of NW Europe
''Tilia × europaea''
/ref> It is not closely related to the

lime Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a color between yellow and green Lime may also refer to: Botany ...

fruit tree, a species of

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

Description

''Tilia'' × ''europaea'' is a large

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

up to tall with a trunk up to . The base of the trunk often features burrs and a dense mass of brushwood. The leaves are intermediate between the parents, long and broad, thinly hairy below with tufts of denser hairs in the leaf vein axils. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are produced in clusters of four to ten in early summer with a leafy yellow-green subtending bract; they are fragrant, and pollinated by bees. The

floral formula A Floral formula is a notation for representing the structure of particular types of flowers. Such notations use numbers, letters and various symbols to convey significant information in a compact form. They may represent the floral form of a part ...

is ✶ K5 C5 A0+5^∞ (5). The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

is a dry nut-like drupe in diameter, downy and faintly ribbed.

Cultivation

Common limes in the landscape, Kings Somborne, UK

This hybrid is very widely cultivated, being readily and inexpensively propagated by

layering Layering has evolved as a common means of vegetative propagation of numerous species in natural environments. Layering is also utilized by horticulturists to propagate desirable plants. Natural layering typically occurs when a branch touches ...

; as a result, it is often the commonest ''Tilia'' species in urban areas and along avenues and streets. It is not however the best species for this purpose, as it produces abundant stem sprouts, and also often hosts heavy

aphid Aphids are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Common names include greenfly and blackfly, although individuals within a species can vary widely in color. The group includes the fluffy white woolly aphids. A t ...

populations resulting in honeydew deposits on everything underneath the trees. Furthermore there is substantial leaf litter in autumn (fall).

Notable trees

One long-lived example was the "Malmvik lime", planted as a sapling near the Malmvik Manor in Stockholm, Sweden in 1618. The tree existed for 381 years until the last part of the tree fell in a storm in 1999. The UK Tree Register Champion is at Aysgarth, Yorkshire, measuring in height and

diameter at breast height Diameter at breast height, or DBH, is a standard method of expressing the diameter of the trunk or bole of a standing tree. DBH is one of the most common dendrometric measurements. Tree trunks are measured at the height of an adult's breast ...

in 2009.Johnson, O. (2011). ''Champion Trees of Britain & Ireland''. p.165. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London. The tree in front of Augustusburg Hunting Lodge in Saxony was planted in 1421 according to the chronicles of Augustusburg.

Uses

The leaves, except for their stalks, can be eaten raw. The wood of the lime was commonly used by

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...

s in their shields.Archaeologist Neil Price talked about this in a ''Wired'' video but I haven't found it in one of his books.

References

External links

*
Photos, measurements and location details of ancient common lime trees
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tilia europaea europaea Hybrid plants Flora of Europe Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus