Small-Leaved Lime Pleached Tree (Tilia Cordata)

Small-Leaved Lime Pleached Tree Description

The Small-Leaved Lime pleached tree is a highly attractive and versatile deciduous tree, celebrated for its elegant, heart-shaped leaves, fragrant summer flowers, and striking pleached form. When trained into a pleached shape, the Small-Leaved Lime creates a formal, structured appearance that works beautifully in both private gardens and urban settings. With its graceful canopy, this tree offers year-round interest, providing dense shade in summer and a dramatic autumn colour display.

In early summer, the Small-Leaved Lime produces fragrant, pale yellow to white flowers in clusters that hang delicately from the branches. These flowers are a magnet for pollinators, particularly bees, making the tree an excellent choice for encouraging local wildlife. The flowers are followed by small, round fruits (linden berries), which turn brown in late summer but are less ornamental than the flowers.

The tree’s pleached form consists of a tall, clear trunk with horizontal branches that are carefully trained to form a neat, geometric canopy. This shape creates a formal, structured look that is perfect for adding height, screening, or creating an elegant focal point in the garden.

Pruning Advice

Pruning is essential for maintaining the pleached form and overall health of the Small-Leaved Lime. Here are some key pruning tips:

Timing: The best time to prune the Small-Leaved Lime is during the dormant season—in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins. This allows the tree to recover quickly and produce strong new growth once the growing season starts. Lighter pruning may also be carried out during the growing season to remove any unwanted or crossing branches.

Shaping: The primary aim of pruning a pleached tree is to maintain the clean, structured shape. Cut back any lateral branches or shoots that disrupt the horizontal alignment of the canopy. The idea is to preserve the trunk’s clear stem and encourage an evenly spaced network of branches.

Removing Dead or Diseased Wood: Always remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches as soon as you spot them. This will prevent disease from spreading and help maintain the overall health of the tree. Prune any areas where the tree may be showing signs of rot or infection.

Encouraging Strong Growth: Prune selectively to encourage healthy, vigorous growth. Regular pruning can help the tree develop a denser, fuller canopy while maintaining its attractive pleached form.

Annual Maintenance: Make a habit of inspecting the tree once a year to remove any crossing or crowded branches and ensure the tree remains tidy and well-shaped. This is especially important in the early years while the tree is establishing its pleached framework.

Further Information

Fragrant Flowers: The highly fragrant flowers in early summer are one of the key attractions of the Small-Leaved Lime. They are a haven for pollinators such as bees and butterflies, contributing to a healthier garden ecosystem.

Attractive Foliage: The heart-shaped leaves offer a lush green backdrop throughout the growing season, providing excellent shade during the summer months. In autumn, the leaves turn to golden yellow, adding seasonal interest and beauty.

Urban Tolerance: The Small-Leaved Lime is particularly well-suited for urban environments due to its tolerance for pollution and ability to thrive in a variety of soil conditions. It is a good choice for planting along streets, avenues, or in city parks where it can provide shade and aesthetic appeal.

Wildlife Benefits: Besides attracting bees, the tree’s fragrant flowers and small fruits can provide food for a variety of wildlife, including birds and insects. It can be an excellent addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.

Versatility: The pleached form of the Small-Leaved Lime makes it a highly versatile tree. It can be used for creating privacy screens, hedges, or as part of a formal garden design. It’s also well-suited to lining pathways, driveways, or as part of a boundary planting.

Low Maintenance: Once established, the Small-Leaved Lime is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal attention beyond regular pruning to maintain its pleached form.

Delivery & Returns

Free delivery is available on most orders (except Premium Products) providing they meet the minimum spend criteria for the size of box or pallet. Pallet deliveries and large box deliveries for tall plants are indicated by icons on the product table listings. Delivery costs and minimum order details for each packaging type are as follows:

* Standard Sized Boxes (Bare root up to 1.2m tall & pots up to 7.5L) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £100 | or £7.99 charge.

* Tall Sized Boxes (Bare roots 1.2m & over) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £100 | or £14.99 charge.

* Pallets (Root balls, large pots 10L+, trees etc | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £350 | or £60 charge.

* Pleached Trees (Specialist Delivery) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £1500 | or £450 charge.