Plant Details

Tilia cordata

Small Leaved Lime

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Common names

50 names · 35 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Little-leaf Linden[1]
  • littleleaf linden[1]
  • pry[1]
+3 more namesShow fewer names
  • Small Leaved Lime
  • Small-leaved Lime[1]
  • small-leaved linden[1]
Other languages (34)
Dutch
  • Kleinbladige linde
  • Winterlinde[1]
French
  • Tilleul à petites feuilles[1]
Armenian
  • Լորենի մանրատերև[1]
Asturian
Basque
Belarusian
  • Ліпа драбналістая[1]
Catalan
  • Til·ler de fulla petita[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 小葉椴樹[1]
Croatian
  • Kasna lipa[1]
  • Malolisna lipa[1]
Czech
  • lípa srdčitá[1]
Danish
  • Småbladet lind[1]
Esperanto
  • Etfolia tilio[1]
Estonian
  • harilik pärn[1]
Finnish
  • metsälehmus[1]
German
  • Herzblattlinde[1]
  • Herzblättrige Linde[1]
  • Kleinblättrige Linde[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Steinlinde[1]
  • Winterlinde[1]
Hungarian
  • Kislevelű hárs[1]
Irish
Italian
  • Tiglio selvatico[1]
Japanese
  • フユボダイジュ[1]
Latvian
  • Parastā liepa[1]
Lithuanian
  • Mažalapė liepa[1]
Luxembourgish
  • Wanterlann[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Lipa drobnolistna[1]
Portuguese
  • Tília-de-folhas-pequenas[1]
Romanian
  • Tei pucios[1]
Russian
  • Липа мелколистная[1]
  • Липа сердцевидная[1]
  • Липа сердцелистная[1]
Slovak
  • lipa malolistá[1]
Slovenian
Spanish
  • Tilo silvestre[1]
Swedish
Turkish
  • Kalp Yapraklı Ihlamur[1]
Ukrainian
  • Липа серцелиста[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Tilia cordata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Little-leaf Linden — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • littleleaf linden — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Small-leaved Lime — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Winterlinde — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Tília-de-folhas-pequenas — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Tilleul à petites feuilles — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Tilo silvestre — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Tei pucios — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • small-leaved linden — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Lipa drobnolistna — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • lípa srdčitá — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Lind — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • 小葉椴樹 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Småbladet lind — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • harilik pärn — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Липа сердцевидная — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • lind — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Tiglio selvatico — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Mažalapė liepa — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • metsälehmus — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Steinlinde — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • tila — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • フユボダイジュ — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • lipa malolistá — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Til·ler de fulla petita — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Skogslind — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • 心叶椴 — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Etfolia tilio — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Winterlinde — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Ezki — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Wanterlann — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Липа серцелиста — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Ліпа драбналістая — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Լորենի մանրատերև — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • lipovec — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Kislevelű hárs — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Parastā liepa — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Malolisna lipa — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Kasna lipa — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Липа сердцелистная — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Липа мелколистная — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Teile — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Kalp Yapraklı Ihlamur — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Ezki hostotxikia — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Kleinblättrige Linde — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Herzblättrige Linde — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • Herzblattlinde — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.
  • pry — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 132600; Tilia cordata.

General information

Scientific name: Tilia cordata
Accepted name (Kew): Tilia cordata Mill. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Malvaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Tilia (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Small Leaved Lime
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 15.24–18.29 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Spread: 10.67–15.24 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [2]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [2]
Growth habit: Erect, Oval, Pyramidal

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [2]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [2]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [2]
Soil:
Loam (Silt)
Sources [2]
pH:
Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [2]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [2]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Sap
Edibility rating:
(5)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Fibre, Windbreak, Wood, Bee forage

Description

Young leaves of the winter lime can be eaten both raw and cooked. The younger leaves have a mild flavor and a soft texture. They are a tasty addition to salads. You can also cook the leaves for consumption. From the bark of the winter lime, sap is obtained that can be used as a refreshing drink and can even be concentrated into syrup for use as a sweetener. The flowers of the winter lime are edible and can be eaten raw, for example in salads. They have a sweet taste and a strong aroma. Furthermore, the flowers can serve as a tea substitute or even be used as an ingredient for a chocolate substitute.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/07
Harvest ends: 31/07

Crown

Crown shape: Narrow pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 258797; name ID 2518358; Tilia L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 258209; name ID 2518181; Tilia cordata Mill..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Tilia cordata — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 35 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .