Tilia cordata Girard's Pendula Nana - Small-leaved Lime

Tilia cordata 'Girard's Pendula Nana' is a rare variety of Small-leaved Lime tree with a weeping form. It shares similarities with the variety 'Lico': very small, reaching 3 to 4 m in height at maturity, tiny leaves, golden branches. The structure of this small deciduous tree is reminiscent of a bonsai and its golden branches are visible in winter after the leaves have fallen. This miniature cultivar is suitable for small gardens and rockeries. It is not demanding in terms of soil as long as it remains moist, and it tolerates both sea spray and urban pollution.

Tilia cordata (synonym Tilia parviflora) belongs to the Tiliaceae family and is native to European forests. It is a deciduous species that thrives in partial shade and can grow to be over 30 m tall with a wide canopy. It is found in the hill and mountain zones, growing up to 1500 m altitude, usually in moist, deep, fertile, acidic to neutral soil. It has excellent longevity.

The 'Girard's Pendula Nana' cultivar is an American selection made by Girard Nurseries in Ohio, before 1976. This tree has a slow growth rate and reaches a mature size of 3 to 4 m in all directions. It forms a small weeping tree with a slightly rounded shape. Its bark, when mature, is dark brown and channelled, while the smooth young branches are yellowish-green. Its entire, alternate leaves are particularly small, measuring 3 to 6 cm in length. They are rounded, heart-shaped at the base, pointed at the tip, finely toothed along the edges, and green. The leaves turn golden yellow in autumn and fall quite early in the season. Flowering occurs in early summer, in June-July. Numerous small, white-yellowish flowers are gathered in pendulous corymbs, in groups of 15 to 20, and attached to the branches by long petioles. They are remarkably fragrant and a delight for bees. They are followed by small, smooth, grey, globular fruits attached to a wing called a samara.

The 'Girard's Pendula Nana' Lime tree is an interesting small tree for its weeping form, small size, and beautiful branches. Place it where space is limited: in front of a house, in a courtyard, on a rooftop terrace. It is easy to grow in many regions. It can also be planted as a specimen tree in a very small garden. Its fragrant early summer flowering is nectar-rich. Since it also thrives in moist soil, near a water source, it makes for an interesting focal point. In a Japanese garden or rockery, it can be paired with conifers, and its bonsai-like structure can be admired in winter.