About
A large, deciduous tree reaching over 30m. The asymmetric heart-shaped leaves are green turning yellow in autumn. Highly perfumed flowers in summer are cream-green but scarcely visible. In the winter, the young, bare twigs are red-bronze.
About the genus
Tilia are deciduous trees with broadly ovate or heart-shaped leaves and pendulous clusters of fragrant yellow-green flowers, followed by conspicuous winged fruits
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeTrees
HabitSpreading branched
FoliageDeciduous
HeightHigher than 12 metres
Spreadwider than 8 metres
Time to full height20-50 years
Suggested usesArchitectural, Wildlife gardens
Native toEurope
FragranceFlower
Care notes
CultivationSuitable for parks and very large gardens. Grow in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade, with shelter from cold winds. Highly prone to producing thickets of stems at the base (suckers) and burrs on the trunk. For more advice see tree cultivation
PruningPruning group 1; a suitable tree for pleaching and pollarding; remove suckers at the base of the trunk or burrs on the trunk in early spring
PropagationPropagate by seed, stratified in containers outdoors in spring. See propagate from seed (tree/shrub) Propagate by chip budding although care must be taken with the choice of rootstock or propagate by suckers in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, horse chestnut scale, caterpillars, sawflies and gall mites
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to sooty mould, Phytophthora root rot and honey fungus