Botanical name

Tilia cordata

Common name(s)

Little-leaf linden

Family

Malvaceae

Native range

Europe, southwestern Asia

Growth Height

50 to 75 feet

Bloom time

June

Historical and interesting facts

Native to Europe and Southwestern Asia, the littleleaf linden may have been planted for social reasons as early as 760 A.D. In Germanic and Norse countries, the tree was the favorite for Freya - the goddess of love - and Frigga - the goddess of married love and the hearth. Some villages had a linden at the center that maidens would often dance around. Women wanting children would hug the tree or hang offerings in its branches to obtain fertility. While the littleleaf linden was seen as a source of life and hope in one area of the world, it was a tree to avoid in Scandinavia after dark because the linden was thought to be haunted by elves and fairies. Today the tree is planted in North America for shade; the linden is also a good source of pollen for pollinators.

These fact sheets and the tree labels were assembled by UFI intern Amanda Williams, and funding for the project was provided through a UK Student Sustainability Council grant.