| Tilia tomentosa | |
|---|---|
| Foliage | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Tilia |
| Species: | T. tomentosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Tilia tomentosa Moench |
|
Tilia tomentosa (Silver Lime in the UK and Silver Linden in the US) is a species of Tilia native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, from Hungary and the Balkans east to western Turkey, occurring at moderate altitudes.[1][2]
It is a deciduous tree growing to 20–35 m tall, with a trunk up to 2 m diameter. The leaves are alternately arranged, rounded to triangular-ovate, 4–13 cm long and broad with a 2.5–4 cm petiole, green and mostly hairless above, densely white tomentose with white hairs below, and with a coarsely toothed margin. The flowers are pale yellow, hermaphrodite, produced in cymes of three to ten in mid to late summer with a pale green subtending leafy bract; they have a strong scent and are pollinated by honeybees. The nectar however contains sugars which cannot be digested by other bees, to whom the tree is somewhat toxic. The fruit is a dry nut-like drupe 8–10 mm long, downy, and slightly ribbed.[1][3]
It is widely grown as an ornamental tree throughout Europe. The cultivar 'Brabant' has a strong central stem and a symmetrical conic crown. The cultivar 'Petiolaris' (Pendent Silver Lime) differs in longer leaf petioles 4–8 cm long and drooping leaves; it is of unknown origin and usually sterile, and may be a hybrid with another Tilia species.[1][3] It is very tolerant of urban pollution, soil compaction, heat, and drought, and would be a good street tree in urban areas, apart from the problems it causes to bees.[1][4]
An infusion made from the flowers of T. tomentosa is antispasmodic, diaphoretic and sedative.[5]. This may be attributable to the presence of pharmacologically active ligands of benzodiazepine receptor [6]
Due to the presence of mannose in the nectar of this species, it can be toxic to some bees which do not possess an enzyme that can digest it. The effect can be seen in numerous comatose bees found on the ground below the tree at flowering time. [7][8] This species while fragrant in spring drops buds,and pollen during the spring and fall. It is not a good sidewalk tree for that reason, and requires frequent clean-up that could last for hours depending on tree size.