Tilia cordata, or wild lime, is a deciduous tree of the Malvaceae family, native to Eurasia. It can reach a height of up to 25 meters and a width of 15 meters, with a columnar shape. The leaves are heart-shaped and in autumn they turn yellow before falling. The flowers give off an intense scent typical of the plant. Flowering occurs in late spring. It prefers moist, fresh and fertile soils, tolerates marly soils and adapts to sunny or semi-shaded exposures. It is resistant up to -20°C and tolerates pollution well. Pruning is done in late autumn only if necessary. The suckers should be removed. The name “Tilia” derives from the Greek “ptilon” (wing), referring to the shape of the bract that surrounds the flowers, while “cordata” refers to the heart shape of the leaves. The plant has a therapeutic use: flowers, bracts and buds can be used for infusions, decoctions or mother tinctures.

IDENTIFICATION

Scientific name:

Tilia cordata

Italian common name:

Tiglio (Linden)

Family:

Malvacee

Origin:

It is a typical species with a Eurasian range. It is widespread from Spain (Basque Country, Catalonia, Pyrenees) to Urals almost without interruption.

Evergreen or deciduous:

deciduous

PLANT RECOGNITION of the Tilia cordata

Height:

second size tree up to 25 m

Width (extension):

15 m

Habit:

columnar

Leaf:

it is heart-shaped up to 8 cm long, finely toothed, alternate, bright green in colour, paler on the underside, with tufts of reddish hairs in the corners of the ribs, ovate-cordate, asymmetric. In autumn it takes on a splendid yellow color before falling.

Flower:

small cupped flower, creamy yellow in colour, with an intense scent gathered in axillary cymes of 5-10 flowers. The inflorescence is carried by an elliptical membranous bract.

Flowering:

late spring

Fruit:

The fruit is an oval-shaped capsule, ribbed, covered by felt, with indehiscent fruitlets of about 5-6 mm, brownish-grey when ripe (October), containing few (1-2) small and brown seeds.

Perfume:

Yes. Intense

Toxicity:

not

NEED 

Maintenance:

low

Fertilization: 

balanced slow release ternate fertilizer or mature manure.

Light Exposure:

better sun, but it also tolerates partial shade and bright shade well (not in the north if covered by the house).

Soil type:

it prefers moist, fresh and fertile soils. Tolerates marly soils (sedimentary rock).

Soil acidity:

PH neutral or not too acidic.

Italian climatic area:

it is present on the alpine arc and on the Apennines up to Basilicata. In the Po Valley it is limited to the upper plain, while it is almost absent in the lower plain. In the mountains it goes up to about 1500 meters. Very rare in the Mediterranean area. It tolerates up to -20°.

Need for water:

water only in the event of long periods of drought, great heat and beware of frosts if the tree is young.

Illnesses: 

wood caries, anthracnose, cercosporiosis, white sickness. Among the parasites the red rodilegno (Cossus cossus), the yellow rodilegno (Zeuzera pyrina, the American infantry (Hyphantria cunea), the limantria (Limantria dispar), the Euprottid (Euproctis chrysorrea) and the sphinx (Mimas tiliae), the cigar (Byctiscus betulae). Aphids and mites.

Pruning:

it is performed in late autumn. Moderate thinning and shortening of too long branches. The suckers must be removed.

Propagation:

It reproduces well from seed, but most of these germinate after 2 or 3 years.

PARTICULARITY 

The name of the genus tilia derives from ptilon which means wing, referring to the shape of the bract that surrounds the flowers. It was considered a sacred tree by the ancient Germanic peoples. The meaning of the “cordata” species derives from the heart shape of the leaves.

Its wood is homogeneous and easily workable, but it does not have great mechanical strength, so it is used only for kitchen accessories.

The famous linden honey is obtained from the tomentosa species and not from the cordata.

Annotations

It is a plant with high resistance to pollution, which is why it is often used by public administrations.

Therapeutic use:

Flowers, bracts and buds can be used for infusions, decoctions or mother tinctures and to understand everything related to this world, we refer you for further information here

In the kitchen: It is not used.