Common names: Common lime, lime, linden 

Irish name: Teile 

Latin name: Tilia x europaea 

Family: Malvaceae 

Origin: Native to much of mainland Europe 

Tree type: Deciduous broadleaf tree

How it looks

Shape, bark, twigs 

The common lime is fast-growing, reaching up to 35 meters and has a broad crown. The bark is pale grey-brown, smooth at first, developing vertical fissures with age. Twigs are slender, hairy and brown, becoming red when in the sun. Common lime has characteristic large burrs and leaf shoots at the base of the tree.  

Buds

The pointed, reddish, pink to brown buds grow between 5 and 10mm and have 2 to 3 scales. They alternate along the twig and can sometimes appear green in colour

Leaves 

The leaves are found alternately along the branch, having a dark green upper side and a yellowish-green underside. They are heart-shaped and flimsy, measuring 6–10cm in length, and are lopsided and lobed at the base.  Leaves are mostly hairless, except for white-cream hairs in the base of the vein on the underside. The leaf margins are sharply serrated. In autumn, leaves turn yellow before falling in the autumn.  

Flowers 

The common lime tree is hermaphrodite, meaning both the male and female reproductive parts are contained within one flower. Its flowers appear between June and July and have a strong scent. They are white-yellow with five petals, hanging in clusters of around ten flowers and are pollinated by insects.

Fruits 

Once pollinated by insects, the flowers develop into round-oval, knobbly fruits with a pointed tip. 

Similar species 

The common lime is a natural hybrid between the large-leaved Tilia platyphyllos and small-leaved Tilia cordata limes. As a result, it has a similar appearance to both species. The main difference is shown on the underside of the leaf. Common lime has tufts of white hairs at the end of the leaf stem, whereas in small-leaved lime, these are rusty red. Large-leaved lime has hairs all over the underside.

Where to find it

The common lime tree and other lime trees are not native to Ireland. It is unknown exactly when they were first planted here, but they can now be found in many cities, estates, and parks across Ireland. 

Common lime is native to much of Europe and occurs naturally in scattered areas where the two parent species (small and large-leaved limes) are located. It is commonly planted in cities and parks throughout Europe. It's a tough tree that will thrive on most soils, including those that are wet over winter.

Cultural importance

History | Myth | Literature

History 

The Common Lime, also commonly referred to as Linden, has been used for various purposes throughout the world for hundreds of years. Early civilisations used its bark to make parchment for writing. In addition, recent research has shown that lime wood was specially imported from Europe to Roman-period Egypt during the 1st  - 3rd centuries AD on account of its suitability in making mummy portraits – panels of wood on which the portraits of people being mummified for burial were painted.  

In Europe, Lime was used up until the Medieval period to make shields. Indeed, the old English name for shield is lind. In Britain, the lime or linden is also commonly found in placenames, such as Lyndhurst in Hampshire, Lindisfarne in Northumberland and Linfield in Northern Ireland. Its light find-grained wood also made it especially popular for making instruments and wood sculptures. Many of the sculptures created by the famous English 17/18th century woodcarver, Grinling Gibbons, were executed in lime wood, some of which are still on display in stately homes such as Hampton Court Palace in London. Limes are greatly celebrated in Germany where they are often found at the centre of villages and towns, the best-known example being perhaps the district known as ‘Unter den Linden’ or ‘Under the Limes’ in Berlin. 

Although lime trees were once native to Ireland, approximately 240,000 years ago, before they became extinct during the last ice age, it is considered non-native. However, recent pollen studies suggest that lime populations may have become re-established in Ireland as early as 8,000 years ago. While this theory remains to be proved, it is certain that lime was planted extensively in Ireland from 1700 AD onwards on landed estates. As a result, lime can often be found along avenues associated with manor houses. A notable example is the lime tree avenue at Oldbridge House, County Meath. It is rumoured that the 13 limes surrounding Mullary cemetery, County Louth, were planted to commemorate William of Orange’s victory at the battle of the Boyne; an especially symbolic gesture in that lime as a non-native tree was intended to represent the foreign victory. 

Myth, Legend and Folklore 

Lime is traditionally associated with the qualities of love, fertility, justice, protection and liberty. It features frequently in German mythology and is particularly associated with Freya, the Germanic goddess of love, fortune and truth. It was also believed to protect against evil spirits and misfortune. In France and Switzerland, limes represent liberty and, as in the case of Mullary cemetery, were commonly planted to celebrate victory in battle.

Literature 

The virtues of the lime have been written about by authors since antiquity and feature in the writings of Theophrastus, Pliny, Virgil, and Aristophanes. The tree also features in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, in which the shields are made of lime wood. Later writers, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the 19th century Elizabeth Barrett Browning, frequently wrote about the lime in their poetry. 

Value to wildlife

Lime flowers provide nectar and pollen for pollinating insects, and the leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of many moth species, including peppered and vapourer moths. The leaves also attract thousands of aphids, providing food for their predators, including ladybirds, hoverflies, and many species of birds.  

The tree's broad canopy is a popular nesting site for various bird species, and long-lived trees provide holes for nesting birds, roosting bats, and dead wood for wood-boring beetles.

Threats

Lime trees may be susceptible to the fungus-like organism Phytophthora, which can cause dieback and bleeding cankers and eventually kill the tree. Limes can also suffer infestations of aphids, sap-sucking insects, and gall mites, including the nail gall.

Uses

Lime wood is soft, light, and finely textured. It is an attractive white-yellow colour and easy to work with. It is commonly used in woodturning, carving, and furniture making. In the past, it was often used to make cups, spoons, and bowls. Lime bark was traditionally used to make rope, and the tree can be coppiced and used for fuel, hop-poles, and bean sticks.  

Today, the most common use of common lime is as an ornamental tree. The flowers are still important for honey producers and can be dried to make a relaxing herbal tea.

References

Berry, E.W. 1918. The history of the linden and ash. The Plant World, 21(7), pp.163-175. 

Botany in Scotland. 2020. Plant of the Week – 12th October – Lime or Linden (Tilia). Botany in Scotland. Plant of the Week – 12th October – Lime or Linden (Tilia) – Botany in Scotland (wordpress.com) 

Cartwright, C. R. 2020. Understanding wood choices for ancient panel painting and mummy portraits in the APPEAR project through scanning electron microscopy. Mummy Portraits of Roman Egypt: Emerging Research from the APPEAR Project, Getty Publications, Los Angeles, pp.16-23. 

Johnson, O. and Sutton, J. 2020. 'Tilia', Trees and Shrubs Online. Tilia - Trees and Shrubs Online 

Mabbett, T. 2022. Coleridge to Vogelweide: The lime tree has long been an inspiration for the world's wordsmiths, Forestry Journal. Coleridge to Vogelweide: The lime tree has long been an inspiration for the world's wordsmiths | Forestry Journal 

Stroh, P. A., Humphrey, T. A., Burkmar, R. J., Pescott, O. L., Roy, D. B., & Walker, K. J. 2023. BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. https://plantatlas2020.org/atlas 

Woodland Trust. 2024. Lime, Common, Woodland Trust. Common Lime (Tilia x europaea) - Woodland Trust