A natural fertile hybrid between Small-leaved Lime and Large-leaved Lime, arising where the parents grow together. Cultivated trees are mostly clonal hybrids but can vary considerably in form, and the species suckers freely from the base.

Native to most of the north-west Europe, except Portugal, Denmark, Norway, its range extending eastwards to Poland, Romania and Ukraine. In Britain and Ireland it is more commonly of cultivated origin and considered a neophyte.

Monoecious. Insect-pollinated. Wind-dispersed.

Large (45m), vigorous, with usually more basal and epicormic shoots than its parents. Bark grey-brown, developing knobbly ridges with age. Twigs brown or bright red in sun, downy then glabrous; buds alternate with 2-3 scales. Leaves (7-10cm), almost circular, matt and slightly wrinkled green above, pale green below with large pale brown vein-axil tufts, the base shallowly cordate and asymmetric. Flowers in a drooping cyme of up to 7-9. Fruits spherical (8mm), densely brown-haired with a faint rib.

Easily propagated by layering its often-frequent suckers. Hybrid vigour gives fast growth and tolerance of most soils except the sandiest, with little harm from urban pollution, making it long popular as an urban tree, though aphid honeydew can be a nuisance over cars and pavements.

As parents.

Generally healthy.

Ornamental.