Love and Lore of the Linden, a summer tree in bloom

It is appropriate to write about this summer  tree , the linden. If you have wondered about the tree with the heart shaped leaves and the fragrant pale lemony green blooms growing along so many streets in small towns and cities, it is probably a linden.  We first were attracted to this tree when we spent the month of July teaching English in Poland in 1990.  There the tree is named after the month of July, (Lipiec), Lipa because  they bloom then. Here they often bloom earlier in June. They are loved in many European countries and in regions in northern France they even have festivals when this sweetly scented flower is in bloom.

 The little leaf Linden tree found throughout Poland is also suited for American lawns and gardens. Lipa or 'lime tree' is named so because of the extremely fragrant lime -yellow clusters of flowers that are blooming now.   In Europe, this highly revered tree serves many purposes and is at the heart of many Polish legends.  The flowers are picked and used either fresh or dried in a tea, which supposedly cures common cold symptoms and relieves heart problems. A Russian made and imported linden tea can sometimes be found in specialty stores.

The Linden, or Tilia cordata, also grows well in the Delaware valley.   Ultimeately   reaching 50-60 feet tall in a couple of lifetimes, the tree has a pyramidal to oval shape, dark  green foliage and a strong winter silhouette. Once established, the Linden will grow almost a foot a year. 

Because of its dependability , the Linden tree is an excellent street tree and is often used in malls and other public places. The tree prefers well-drained, rich soil into which organic matter has been added. Fertilizing in the early spring sustains healthy growth and helps develop resistance to insects and diseases.

In many European countries Linden trees are planted in churchyards the around the edge of the property. This is an old customs that goes back to when the tree not only brought shade and July fragrance, but also attracted honeybees. Linden honey was collected by monks and considered one of the best. Beeswax is still used to make the candles used in the church. Eastern European legend also suggests that an old Linden tree should not be cut down because doing so would cause certain bad luck to the cutter and his family.  Today, in Poland, you can still see roadside shrines under a Linden tree. 

About 20 years ago we planted a Linden in honor of our wedding anniversary.   This tree is now in full bloom and my husband Ted has even collected some blooms to make tea.

If you see a street tree with pale lemon/lime colored petals that look like dragon fly wings and smell sweet with lime overtones, chances are it is a linden. There several south Jersey towns where they are quite prevalent and remember a beautiful one along the Bridgeton waterfront . Our tree stands in the front of our nursery between the parking lot and the annuals.

 As a florist I get to work with many cut flowers year round. As a home gardener I love to grow rows of blooms for cutting in our home garden. There are colorful blooms of marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, nasturtiums, asters, sunflowers and sometimes others. One of my favorite blooms in the shop is lisianthus. Although these are readily available as a cut flower, they are rarely seen in nurseries. I remembered that years back a grower in Pennsylvania had grown them for us, but when he retired we no longer had a source. Last couple of years I ordered plugs for these prairie natives so we could grow them ourselves.. I will once more try to grow them in my garden because lizzy as we call them or Eustoma grandiflorum, is noted for being one of the best longlasting and most beautiful garden cut flowers.

 Lisianthus   is one of several common names associated with this plant.  The plants we grow today are derived from an American wildflower that is native to the prairie from Colorado to Nebraska and south to Texas. Although in the wild, native plant has purple/blue flowers commercial growers have developed plants with blooms in pink, cream, white and even rose.

Lisianthus are used in arrangements in most florist shops because they are pretty and last long.  A bloom will last at least a week after opening and mature buds continue to open for several more days.

The plants grow between 12 and 24 inches tall in the garden and like a sunny well-drained spot.  A row will provide a nice supply of cut flowers and also look pretty in the garden.

I wondered why more local wholesalers didn't grow this plant.  A bit of research told me that the seeds are extremely small and the plants require five to six months to produce blooms. So to have blooms by July, you will need to start the seeds in January.  I found it better to buy a couple of hundred plugs and grow them in  4-inch pots. 

Although they can be transplanted to a sunny location after the threat of frost is past I am just getting mine out this week. I thought they would mature best in a warm green house. With the cool temps and rainy days this spring I think this was a good choice.  A few customers that planted some of these out just after mother's day told me they did get large and are also setting buds. Plants always seem to do better in the ground than in pots.  These plants are native to prairie areas so they have a preference for a well-drained soil. Keep the soil moist but avoid over-watering.  Plant them eight inches apart so they grow close together and the plants support each other.  They will bloom well into fall. 

It has been reported that plants grown in a good size pot will continue to bloom in a very sunny window over the winter. I called Park seeds and talked to a horticulturist named Lynn who told me that this plant is underused by gardeners even though it is quite easy to grow from established plants. Come get some today for blooms until frost.

Garden Flower arranging classes in July . Sign up now !

Call or email  Lorraine to set up a time to come in for help picking out  plants for a perennial and annual cutting garden. 

This will insure that you have plant material to enjoy in arrangements on your table year round.

Plant lots of zinnia, sunflowers, cosmos, delphinium, all types of daisies, roses, magnolia, and foliages. Remember herbs are delightful in arraignments as are berries and pods.  Join me at the July classes to learn how to make wonderful floral pieces to take home. 

With some rustic containers,baskets with liners,  vases and a watering can,I am ready to fashion some arrangements for the floral design demonstration.  To style a design it is helpful to have a block of oasis  soaked and ready to be put in a container . For porous clay  pots,  use  a plastic liner in to hold the oasis.  This will keep the moisture from seeping to your table and  the oasis holds the branches exactly where you want them .

     For  a clear glass vase  or pitcher I make a grid from oasis tape. It looks like tic tac toe  across the vase opening and   really  helps to hold stems upright. Another method of holding stems in place is to put some boxwood branches in first to act as a holder .

     Garden materials can be arranged in a formal line design or in a loose rustic style. The container, the room in which it will be used , and  the season of the year often determines the style arrangement to be made . 

     Remember that a clean container, water with floral life in it , freshly cut materials, and  some type of mechanical device to hold the stems will all make flower arranging naturally a lot more fun. ( Check out our class schedule for July floral classes)