Plant Details

Tilia platyphyllos

Large Leaved Lime

Back

Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Tilia platyphyllos.

Use this plant

Log in to add this plant to your recipes.

Log in

Common names

35 names · 29 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Bigleaf Linden[1]
  • Large Leaved Lime
  • Large-leaved Lime[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Large-leaved Linden[1]
Other languages (28)
Dutch
  • Zomerlinde[1]
French
  • Tilleul à grandes feuilles[1]
Asturian
Basque
  • Ezki hostozabala[1]
Belarusian
  • Ліпа буйналістая[1]
Catalan
  • Til·ler de fulla gran[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 寬葉椴樹[1]
Croatian
  • Širokolisna lipa[1]
Czech
  • lípa velkolistá[1]
Danish
  • Storbladet lind[1]
Estonian
  • suurelehine pärn[1]
Finnish
  • isolehtilehmus[1]
German
  • Großblättrige Linde[1]
  • Sommer-Linde[1]
  • Sommerlinde[1]
Hungarian
  • nagylevelű hárs[1]
Italian
  • tiglio nostrale[1]
  • tiglio nostrano[1]
Japanese
  • セイヨウボダイジュ[1]
Lithuanian
  • Didžialapė liepa[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Lipa szerokolistna[1]
Portuguese
  • Tília-de-folhas-grandes[1]
Russian
  • Липа крупнолистная[1]
Slovak
  • lipa veľkolistá[1]
Slovenian
  • navadna lipa[1]
Spanish
  • Tilo europeo[1]
Swedish
Turkish
  • yaz ihlamuru[1]
Ukrainian
  • Липа широколиста[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 platyphyllos — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Bigleaf Linden — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Large-leaved Lime — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Tília-de-folhas-grandes — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Tilleul à grandes feuilles — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Tilo europeo — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Липа крупнолистная — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Sommerlinde — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • lípa velkolistá — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • 寬葉椴樹 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Storbladet lind — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • suurelehine pärn — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • storlind — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • isolehtilehmus — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Didžialapė liepa — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Lipa szerokolistna — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Sommer-Linde — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Großblättrige Linde — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • tila — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • lipa veľkolistá — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • bohuslind — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Til·ler de fulla gran — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • セイヨウボダイジュ — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Zomerlinde — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • tiglio nostrano — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • tiglio nostrale — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Large-leaved Linden — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Ліпа буйналістая — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • navadna lipa — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • 阔叶椴 — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • nagylevelű hárs — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • yaz ihlamuru — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Липа широколиста — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Širokolisna lipa — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.
  • Ezki hostozabala — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 169761; Tilia platyphyllos.

General information

Scientific name: Tilia platyphyllos
Accepted name (Kew): Tilia platyphyllos Scop. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Malvaceae

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

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

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 18.29–24.38 m

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

Sources [3]
Spread: 9.14–15.24 m

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

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Dense, Erect, Pyramidal

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

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

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

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

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

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

Description

Young leaves can be eaten raw and make a delightful addition to salads and sandwiches because of their soft texture with a slight sliminess. The flowers are suitable for making an herbal tea with a sweet, pleasant flavor. However, be careful not to use old flowers, as they may be toxic. The sap harvested in the spring is sweet and can be drunk or concentrated into syrup. The flowers and fruits can also serve as a substitute for chocolate.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/07
Harvest ends: 31/08

Crown

Crown shape: Broad 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 257315; name ID 2517523; Tilia platyphyllos Scop..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Tilia platyphyllos

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2698545, ID 7CC2T: Tilia platyphyllos Scop. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Tilia platyphyllos — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
    • 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 .