Tilia platyphyllos Rubra / Tilia grandiflora Rubra - Red Twigged Lime
Differing only in the red bark of its young twigs, Tilia platyphyllos Rubra can become a great big tree when planted in the open, spreading into an upright dome of intricate braches and a graceful, dark trunk that ends in prominent, python like-roots. Smaller branches sweep down close to the ground, providing plenty of shade. The dark green leaves have pale bellies and are famous for being very popular with insects, including the caterpillars of many moths and butterflies; the Lime Hawk moth itself is one of Britain's most common large moths. In early summer, Tilia Rubra produces lots of simple white flowers that aren't showy but which provide nectar for scores of pollinating insects - bees can be seen to become woozy from drinking too much of it. The seeds are attatched by a stalk to a modified leaf which spins around enough to carry them away from the parent tree when they fall (if seedlings appear on your lawn, just run over them with the lawn mower). Red barked lime doesn't have such a powerful suckering habit as other limes, though, in common with most trees, it will sucker more if it is hard pruned.
This species was once called Tilia grandiflora Rubra, which wasn't very accurate (grandiflora means "big flowers") and is now universally known as Tilia platyphyllos Rubra, which refers to its broad leaves.
Planting Tilia platyphyllos Rubra:
Tilia Rubra is happy in any soil that drains well. Apart from the aphid droppings, which can be a nuisance if you park your car under a lime, they are ideal roadside trees that can be pruned hard and are great for pleaching into a formal screen. A mature tree can top 100 feet, reaching about 35 metres, though you can keep it much smaller than that, as long as it gets a good dose of sun.
If you are unclear about the way standard trees are sized, take a look at our Guide to Standard Tree Sizing or you can go back to our main standard trees page.
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