The small-leaved lime is found in Central Europe and Central Asia. It can grow larger than the large-leaved lime and usually grows a bit faster as well. However, it is somewhat more demanding when it comes to its growing conditions.

Take a look at the leaves from below: a distinguishing feature of the small-leaved lime is the white hairs on the underside. On the large-leaved lime, these hairs are brownish. Their fruits also differ: the fruits of the summer linden are not as easy to crush.

Linden blossoms are an important food source for many insects. They contain plenty of nectar and pollen and are considered an excellent source of nectar for bees. They are the source of the well-known linden blossom honey. Have you ever tried it?

In the summer, it can sometimes get slippery under linden trees. Aphids suck sap from the leaves and excrete a sugary liquid in the process, known as honeydew. This drips onto the ground or onto cars. It’s sticky. When it gets damp, these surfaces can become very slippery.

For a very long time, the linden tree has held a special place in people’s hearts. Among the Germanic tribes, it was considered a sacred tree, and it continued to play an important role in daily life. People would gather under linden trees to talk, celebrate, or even settle disputes.
The linden tree also appears in ancient tales: In the Nibelungen saga, the hero Siegfried bathes in dragon’s blood to become invulnerable. But a linden leaf falls on his back—and it is precisely at that spot that he remains vulnerable, and it is there that he is later treacherously struck by his adversary Hagen.

Key facts about the small-leaved lime

This small-leaved linden tree was measured in 2025. It was about 9 meters tall and had a trunk circumference of 32 centimeters. Its wood stores around 233 kilograms of carbon. Each year, it additionally absorbs about 12 kilograms of CO₂, which is roughly equivalent to a 110-kilometer car trip. It also retains about 400 liters of rainwater and filters approximately 408 grams of particulate matter from the air. Furthermore, it produces about 32 kilograms of oxygen per year, enough to meet an adult’s breathing needs for about 52 days.