With their unmistakable heart shape, the leaves of the summer linden tree are easy to identify. They also have many other interesting properties that you probably didn't know about. For example, can you distinguish leaves from the summer linden tree from those of the winter linden tree? If you read the following article, you will definitely succeed.
What characteristics does the summer linden leaf have?
The leaf of the summer linden tree is heart-shaped, deciduous, slightly hairy and up to 12 cm large. It has a rich green top and a light green bottom and differs from the winter lime in size, hairiness and coloring. The leaves are edible and contain essential oils.
Features
- heart-shaped
- summergreen
- slightly hairy
- sharp sawn
- up to 12 cm long and just as wide
- short petiole
- white tufts in the vein angles
- Top rich green
- Bottom light green
Differences to the winter linden tree
If you take a closer look at the leaves of the two types of linden tree growing here and know what to look for, it is easy to distinguish the leaves of the summer linden tree from those of the winter linden tree. On it You have to pay attention to the summer linden tree:
- larger leaves
- even green coloring
- Leaf stem is also hairy
- Hair on the underside of the leaves is white, only brown in late summer
You have to pay attention to this with the winter linden tree:
- smaller leaves
- hairless, leathery surface of the leaf instead
- blue-gray coloring of the underside of the leaf
- brown hairs on the underside of the leaves
Changes in summer linden tree leaves over the course of the year
In spring, the red, round buds ripen on the branches of the summer linden tree. The heart-shaped leaves later develop from them. The summer linden tree is a deciduous deciduous tree that has yellow leaves in autumn.
Usage
The leaves of the summer linden tree are considered to be of great importance in natural medicine. You can eat them without any worries, for example in salads. The young leaves in particular taste pleasantly soft and represent a varied alternative. The leaves of the summer linden tree also contain essential oils that can be used as home remedies to alleviate numerous complaints.
The linden leaf in mythology
However, the he alth aspects mentioned above contrast with the Nibelungen legend. Here the linden leaf on Siegfried's shoulder represents his vulnerability.
The unloved honeydew
Aphids often attack the leaves of the summer linden tree. They are relatively harmless to the tree itself, but they can still be a nuisance to some gardeners or drivers. You are certainly familiar with the sticky film that drips from the leaf crown of the summer linden tree onto the sidewalk, bicycles and cars that are parked under the deciduous tree in summer.
