Plant Details

Tilia tomentosa

Silver lime

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Common names

32 names · 24 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (23)
Dutch
  • Hongaarse zilverlinde
  • Zilverlinde[2]
French
  • Tilleul argenté[2]
  • Tilleul de Hongrie[2]
Basque
  • Ezki ilauntsua[2]
Catalan
  • Til·ler argentat[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • lípa stříbrná[2]
  • lípa řapíkatá[2]
Danish
  • Sølv-Lind[2]
Estonian
  • hõbepärn[2]
Finnish
  • hopealehmus[2]
German
Greek
  • Ασημοφλαμουριά[2]
  • Φιλύρα η αργυρόφυλλος[2]
  • Φιλύρα η γναφαλώδης[2]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Φλαμουριά[2]
Hungarian
  • ezüst hárs[2]
  • Ezüsthárs[2]
Italian
  • tiglio tomentoso[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Lipa srebrzysta[2]
Portuguese
  • Tília-prateada[2]
Russian
  • Липа войлочная[2]
Slovak
  • lipa striebristá[2]
Spanish
  • Tilo plateado[2]
Swedish
  • silverlind[2]
Turkish
  • Tüylü Ihlamur[2]
Ukrainian
  • Липа срібляста[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

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] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Tilia tomentosa Moench ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Silber-Linde (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 163246; taxon 56WVQ.
  • Silver Lime (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 163247; taxon 56WVQ.
[2] Tilia tomentosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Silver Lime — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Tília-prateada — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Tilleul argenté — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Tilleul de Hongrie — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Tilo plateado — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • lípa stříbrná — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • hõbepärn — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • sølvlind — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Silber-Linde — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • lípa řapíkatá — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Til·ler argentat — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Lipa srebrzysta — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Φλαμουριά — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Φιλύρα η γναφαλώδης — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Φιλύρα η αργυρόφυλλος — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Ασημοφλαμουριά — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Zilverlinde — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • silverlind — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • tiglio tomentoso — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Sølv-Lind — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • 銀椴 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Липа войлочная — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Ezüsthárs — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • silver linden — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • ezüst hárs — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Tüylü Ihlamur — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Липа срібляста — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • hopealehmus — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • 绒毛椴 — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • lipa striebristá — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.
  • Ezki ilauntsua — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 143800; Tilia tomentosa.

General information

Scientific name: Tilia tomentosa
Accepted name (Kew): Tilia tomentosa Moench 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: Silver lime
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 15.24–21.34 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: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Dense, Erect, Oval, Pyramidal

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

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

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

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Condiment, Tea
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Fibre, Fragrant

Description

Young leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked. Dried leaves are sometimes used as an alternative to marjoram (Origanum majorana). The flowers can be used to make tea and as a substitute for chocolate.

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 625949; name ID 2517619; Tilia tomentosa Moench.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

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

    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 1387444, ID 56WVQ: Tilia tomentosa Moench (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Tilia tomentosa — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 30 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 .