Linden (Basswood, Lime Tree, or Whitewood)
Tilea species (TILIACEAE)
Planting and Growing Linden Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow linden trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, fruit, seeds or nuts of linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- Growing conditions for linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- When to plant linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- How to plant linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- How to prune linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- Landscape uses of linden linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
- Pest and disease control for linden, basswood, lime tree, or whitewood
Growing Linden Trees
About 30 species of slow-growing, long-lived, erect, narrow or pyramid-shaped, deciduous trees, 15–60 ft. (4.5–18 m) tall, with alternate, round or heart-shaped, pointed, veined leaves, 3–6 in. (75–150 mm) long, with pale undersides, turning brown, yellow in autumn.
Commonly cultivated species include American linden, Tilea americana; Chinese linden, Tilea chinensis; little-leaved linden, Tilea cordata; and silver linden, Tilea tomentosa.
Linden Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Many tiny, fragrant, green, white, yellow, 5-petaled flowers, in showy, branching, nodding clusters, to 4 in. (10 cm) long, in early summer, form nutlike, seedy fruit, to 1/4 in. (6 mm) wide, in autumn.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 3–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus. Fertility: Rich. 6.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun. Space 15–20 ft. (4.5–6 m) apart.Planting: Full sun. Space 10–15 ft. (3–4.5 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist. Fertilize annually in spring. Prune to thin, shape, coppice, shear in autumn. Propagate by cuttings, grafting, layering, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, allées, containers, hedges, shade in cottage, meadow, natural, small-space gardens and roadside plantings. Attracts bees. Smog tolerant. Aphid, Japanese beetle, borer, tussock moth, whitefly and anthracnose, fungal disease susceptible.