Largeleaf Linden

Tilia platyphyllos

Native to:
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Netherlands, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Ukraine

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Malvaceae
Genus:
Tilia
Species:
Tilia platyphyllos
USDA Symbol:
TIPL

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Tree
Height:
4000 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
jun,jul
Bloom Colors:
yellow, cream
Food Forest:
Contains edible parts

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Caterpillars:
★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
bees, butterflies, birds
Fragrant:
Yes
Fall Color:
yellow

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers fertile soils with good organic content

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–180 days
Germination Time:
30–365 days
Notes:
Seeds exhibit double dormancy and may take 18-24 months to germinate; warm stratification followed by cold stratification is required.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI