littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata)

Champion littleleaf linden at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver.

Species info:

Leaves: Alternate, simple, 1½–3 inches long, nearly as wide as long. Base distinctly heart-shaped (cordate), tip sharply pointed (acuminate), with finely serrated margins. Upper surface dark green, lower surface paler with tufts of hair in vein axils.

Leaf Surface: Smooth and glossy above, lighter beneath.

Bark: Gray-brown, becoming ridged and furrowed with age.

Flowers: Small, fragrant, creamy-white to pale yellow, borne in clusters of 5–7 in pendulous cymes. Each cluster subtended by a pale greenish-yellow, leaflike bract.

Fruit: Small nutlets (~⅕ inch), thin-shelled and smooth (without ribs), maturing to tan or brown in late summer.

Botanical: Tilia cordata

Family: Malvaceae

Mature Height: 40–70 feet

Canopy Spread: 30–50 feet

Foliage Type: Deciduous

Tree Shape: Pyramidal when young; becomes oval to pyramidal-rounded with age and dense branching.

Growth Rate: Medium

Fall Color: Yellow

Flowers: Mildly showy; fragrant

Fruit: Nutlet, persistent

Water Use: Moderate; prefers moist soils but tolerates moderate drought once established.

Hardiness: Zones 3–7

Soil Preference: Prefers moist, fertile, well-drained loams; tolerates clay and slightly alkaline soils.

Wildlife Value: Flowers provide nectar for pollinators (especially bees); seeds occasionally eaten by birds and small mammals.

Pests/Pathogens: Occasional aphid infestations can lead to honeydew and sooty mold on lower leaves or nearby surfaces; favored by Japanese beetle

Planting Recommendations: Recommended for most of the Front Range.

Information Sources:

• Michael A. Dirr. Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs. Timber Press. 2011