Small Leaved Lime Sapling Trees

Tilia Cordata Saplings

Delivered by Mail Order Direct from our Nursery with a Year Guarantee

Small Leaved Lime, Tilia cordata, is a native tree with a fairly narrow, column-shaped canopy. It grows vigorously on any fertile soil and tolerates woodland shade.
Small Leaved Lime is not suitable for a clipped hedge. Tilia cordata is a medium-sized, round-headed, deciduous tree that produces sweet-scented flowers in spring which are great for bees. It has heart-shaped leaves, glossy green above with a pale underside. It can be grown as a screening tree up to about 25 metres high. It is a good, tall windbreak tree and is a phenomenal source of nectar for bees. The plants on this page are young saplings. You can also buy the ornamental variety, Tilia cordata Greenspire, in large standard sizes from our nursery. Small Leaved Lime plants are only delivered bareroot, during winter (Nov-Apr).

View our selection of coastal hedging plants or see our full range of hedging.

Choosing a size: When you are ordering a large quantity of Small Leaved Lime saplings for a big planting project, we suggest that you buy smaller plants. They are cheaper than large plants, easier to handle and more likely to cope well with poor conditions. Use the larger, 120-150cm tall plants if you are in a hurry to get a mature tree.
All of our young trees and shrubs are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

History & uses of Tilia cordata

This tree was extensively coppiced in the past for supplies of bast, which is the inner layer of bark. These fibres are excellent for making cords and ropes, which could then be used to make a multitude of useful objects. There are some ancient stools of coppiced small-leaved limes that are about 16 metres wide and may well be over 2,000 years old.

Notes on planting Small Leaved Lime:
Small Leaved Lime trees will grow on any well drained soil that is reasonably fertile and they do very well on chalky sites and exposed locations. They are shade tolerant and thrive in polluted sites, as long as the soil is rich.
They will not grow well on boggy sites or very poor, dry soil.

Prepare your site before planting:
It is good to dig over the area where you intend to plant several months in advance. Destroy the weeds first: nettles, brambles and ground elder are tough. Then dig the soil over; remove rocks, roots and other rubbish. Mix in well rotted compost or manure down to the depth of about 2 spades.
If you have a heavy clay soil, it might be too difficult to dig over for most of the year. Heavy clay is fertile soil, so you don't really need to improve it; killing the weeds is still necessary.

Remember to water establishing plants during dry weather for at least a year after planting.

Planting accessories:
Prepare your site for planting by killing the weeds and grass.
If you are planting in an area with rabbit and/or deer, you will need to use a protective plastic spiral for each plant, supported by a bamboo cane.
If your soil quality is poor, we recommend using mycorrhizal "friendly fungi" on the roots of new trees and shrubs.
You can also improve your soil with bonemeal organic fertiliser.

After Care

After you plant your Small Leaved Lime trees, the most important thing to do is water them in dry weather. You will also need to weed around the plants. Both of these will be necessary for at least a year after planting.
Water thoroughly but not too often: let the soil get close to drying out before watering your plants again.

Special notes on caring for Small Leaved Lime:
Small Leaved Lime is a very tough plant that shouldn't need special attention once it has established. If pruning is necessary, it is best do it in winter. Always hire a tree surgeon to remove large branches.

Hygiene & Diseases:
Dead, damaged or diseased wood can be pruned off as soon as it appears.
Disinfect your pruning tools between every cut if there is any sign of disease.
Burn or dispose of any diseased material, do not compost it.

After you plant your Small Leaved Lime trees, the most important thing to do is water them in dry weather. You will also need to weed around the plants. Both of these will be necessary for at least a year after planting.
Water thoroughly but not too often: let the soil get close to drying out before watering your plants again.

Special notes on caring for Small Leaved Lime:
Small Leaved Lime is a very tough plant that shouldn't need special attention once it has established. If pruning is necessary, it is best do it in winter. Always hire a tree surgeon to remove large branches.

Hygiene & Diseases:
Dead, damaged or diseased wood can be pruned off as soon as it appears.
Disinfect your pruning tools between every cut if there is any sign of disease.
Burn or dispose of any diseased material, do not compost it.