Edible tree - novice Season - spring to autumn Common names common lime, European lime, hybrid lime, Tilia, linden, common linden, lime, European basswood, love-heart lime
Scientific name meaning: Tilia is derived from Latin and means "broad", while europaea means "of or from Europe"
Habitat  Although it is a naturally occurring hybrid of the broad- (T platyphyllos) and small- (T cordata) leaved limes and therefore found in woodland, a large amount of common lime is found in avenues, lining streets and in hedgerows or parkland. |
Overall structure  Common lime can reach almost 50m in height and has a broadly egg-shaped canopy. Left unpruned (or ungrazed) the canopy will cover the entire tree to the floor. It readily produces suckers, so has a mass of these at its base (see trunk). |
Leaves  The leaves are roughly heart-shaped (cordate) but are asymmetrical with one of the lobes being higher than the other. They are serrated and terminate in a long, thin point. A darker green on top than underneath, the leaves are hairy - with white tufts just visible at the vein apexes. In the hot summer months, a sticky substance (aphid honeydew - waste sugar) coats the leaves. |
Trunk The grey-brown bark of common lime is irregularly ridged. It readily undergoes epicormic growth spurts (produces suckers) so has a large amount of these visible at its base. This can form a dense ball of shoots at the base of the tree. Burrs are often found on the trunk too. |
Flower  Very pale, thin, finger-like specialised leaves (bracts) form in late spring. From the mid-rib of these, a stem with a cluster of four to 10 flowers emerges in early summer. The heavily-scented flowers, reaching just over 1cm in diameter, have five small green-white petals. They anthers and central stigma are pronounced, standing proud of the petals. |
Fruit  Each fertilised flower is replaced by a fruit that resembles a small, hairy, pale-green pea. These turn to a pale yellow-brown by mid-autumn. |
Possible lookalikes  Common lime's closest lookalikes are the species it has hybridised from - small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) and large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos). The under side of the leaf differs between the three species - common has tufts of buff-white hairs at the vein apexes, small-leaved rust brown tufts (pictured), and broad-leaved is much hairy overall, no tufts and a hairy leaf stem. |
Use as a food The young leaves make an excellent salad leaf. In summer, the leaves are covered in a sticky substance, which is actually excreted by aphids and very sweet. This makes the leaves much sweeter to the taste.
The young flowers have an unusual, exceptional floral taste and can be used to make syrups, jams, jellies, infusions, vinegars and teas.
The ripe fruits can be ground into a chocolate-tasting paste, but this decomposes quickly.
The sap is also collected and used as a drink, or reduced down to make syrup or sugar. As with birch, The Foraging Course Company recommends collecting sap via a snipped twig rather than tapping to reduce damage to the tree.
Use in herbal medicine Common lime has been used as a diaphoretic to induce a good fever - raising the body temperature in order to fight infection. It has also been used as an antispasmodic, sedative, expectorant, and digestive aid.
In addition, it is believed to have calming properties, while a powder made from its burned wood has been used to treat burns.
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Hazards Older flowers are thought to have a narcotic effect, so only young flowers should be used
Other uses The inner bark makes a good cord for making mats, ropes and baskets. This cord can also be woven into cloth, as well as being made into paper. The charcoal of common lime is good for artists' use
Importance to other species Aphids love limes, so these trees are of great importance to their predators - ladybird larvae, hoverfly larvae and various birds.
The leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of lots of moth species. These include lime hawk, hook-tip, and peppered moths.
The flowers provide an important food source for pollinators, and old trees provide habitat for hole nesting birds and burrowing beetles.
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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