Side by side
Common lime or large-leaved lime? How to tell them apart
Tilia × europaea · Tilia platyphyllos
How to tell them apart – common lime: A cross between large-leaved and small-leaved lime, large, lopsided heart-shaped leaf with pale hair tufts underneath, the trunk is often covered in shoots; large-leaved lime: underside of the leaf softly hairy all over, flowers as early as late June.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. JoJan assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Common lime Tilia × europaea
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How do you recognise them?
- Common lime
- A cross between large-leaved and small-leaved lime: large, lopsided heart-shaped leaf with pale hair tufts underneath; the trunk is often covered in shoots.
- Large-leaved lime
- Large, lopsided heart-shaped leaf with a softly hairy underside and white tufts of hair in the vein axils.
- Compared with common lime: underside of the leaf softly hairy all over; flowers as early as late June.
| Common lime | Large-leaved lime | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 6–12 cm, lopsided heart-shaped, finely toothed; underside light green and largely hairless, with white to pale brown tufts of hair in the vein axils. | Alternate, lopsided heart-shaped, 6–15 cm, finely toothed. Underside light green and softly hairy all over, with white tufts of hair in the vein axils. |
| Flowering | Hanging clusters of 4–10 fragrant, yellowish-white flowers on a tongue-shaped bract, in early July (June–July). | Clusters of 2–5 fragrant yellow flowers on a tongue-shaped bract, in late June (June). |
| Fruit | Globular nutlets with faint ribs. | Hard, globular nutlets with 5 distinct ribs. |
| Bark | Grey and finely fissured; the base and trunk are often covered in epicormic shoots and burrs. | Grey, finely fissured. Young twigs hairy. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 25–35 m | Broadleaf tree, 25–35 m |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for bees and butterflies |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–March | November–March |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Large-leaved lime is native: it feeds more insects and birds than a non-native species. If in doubt, choose this one.
- Common lime (25–35 m) and large-leaved lime (25–35 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Common lime
- Plant profile: Large-leaved lime
- Common lime: when and how to prune
- Large-leaved lime: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Large-leaved lime or small-leaved lime
- Common lime or Caucasian lime
- Common lime or small-leaved lime
- Hazel or large-leaved lime
- Indian bean tree or large-leaved lime
- Handkerchief tree or large-leaved lime
- Silver lime or large-leaved lime
- Large-leaved lime or black mulberry
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.