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Tilia japonica
Also called Japanese Linden
Tilia japonica is a deciduous linden tree native to mountains of eastern China and Japan, grown mainly as an ornamental shade tree in temperate gardens. It is hardy and does best in a cool, moist, well-drained site with good sun.
Tilia japonica, the Japanese lime or Japanese linden, is a species of Tilia native to eastern China and Japan, preferring to grow in mountains up to 2000 m. It superficially resembles the better-known Tilia cordata, the small-leaved lime, and was originally described as Tilia cordata var. japonica. It differs from T. cordata in having 164 chromosomes instead of 82, and by some subtle differences in leaf and flower morphology. T. japonica inflorescences consistently have 5 staminodes, which is a reliable trait distinguishing it from T. cordata and T. amurensis. Recent studies indicate T.japonica to play an important role in maintaining the ectomycorrhizal networks in local forests it grows in Japan.
Tilia japonica is grown as an ornamental tree. Its 'Ernest Wilson' cultivar has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Its wood was used for furniture, and due to its straight grain is still occasionally used for veneers. Like other lindens, it is a source for a premium honey. It is the official tree of the city of Nagano, Japan.
Tilia japonica's innermost bark, known as bast, was used by the Ainu for clothing, attus.
American basswood · Amur Linden · Ching's Lime · Small-leaved Lime · Crimean Lime · Kyushu Lime · Manchurian Lime · Mongolian Lime · Oliver's Lime · Large-leaved Lime · Silver Lime · Lime
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tilia japonica by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
