Side by side
Indian bean tree or large-leaved lime? How to tell them apart
Catalpa bignonioides · Tilia platyphyllos
How to tell them apart – Indian bean tree: very large heart-shaped leaves, often in threes, long ‘beans’ that hang on through winter; large-leaved lime: smaller, toothed leaf that is alternate.
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How do you recognise them?
- Indian bean tree
- Very large heart-shaped leaves, often in threes; long ‘beans’ that hang on through winter.
- Large-leaved lime
- Large, lopsided heart-shaped leaf with a softly hairy underside and white tufts of hair in the vein axils.
- Compared with Indian bean tree: smaller, toothed leaf that is alternate.
| Indian bean tree | Large-leaved lime | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Opposite or in whorls of 3, broadly heart-shaped and untoothed, 15–30 cm. Smells unpleasant when crushed. Comes into leaf late (June). | 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 | Upright panicles of white trumpet flowers with yellow and purple spots (July) (July). | Clusters of 2–5 fragrant yellow flowers on a tongue-shaped bract, in late June (June). |
| Fruit | Thin, bean-like pods 20–40 cm that hang on all winter. | Hard, globular nutlets with 5 distinct ribs. |
| Bark | Grey-brown, in thin scales. | Grey, finely fissured. Young twigs hairy. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 10–15 m | Broadleaf tree, 25–35 m |
| Site | Full sun, 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 | Yes, for bees and butterflies |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | February–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.
- Large-leaved lime grows 25–35 m tall: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Indian bean tree
- Plant profile: Large-leaved lime
- Indian bean tree: when and how to prune
- Large-leaved lime: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them
Also looks like
- Large-leaved lime or small-leaved lime
- Foxglove tree or Indian bean tree
- Common lilac or Indian bean tree
- Trumpet vine or Indian bean tree
- Hazel or large-leaved lime
- Common lime or large-leaved lime
- Handkerchief tree or large-leaved lime
- Silver lime or large-leaved lime
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.