lime
​(tilia)

 At least 10 species can be seen in Britain of which 3 are seen regularly, 2 are less frequent and 5 are rare and often only seen in botanical gardens. The three species you are most likely to see are the Broad-leaved Lime, the Common Lime, and the Small-leaved Lime. The Silver Lime, Silver Pendent Lime and Crimean Lime are beautiful trees but less frequent. For more information on these trees click HERE. Lime flowers and fruit are always attached to a pale green, odd-shaped leaf called a bract. The number of flowers and fruit per bract varies between Lime species but they are all arranged in a branched structure called a cyme. For more information on Lime tree flowers and fruits click HERE. Lime trees do not produce the citrus fruits we know as limes. They come from a small tree with the botanical name Citrus aurantifolia which originates in south-east Asia. The word lime, as used for trees in Britain is believed to come from the Old English word lind.