Littleleaf Linden care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata) wants full sun and a drink about every 7 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Tilia cordata |
|---|---|
| family | Malvaceae |
| category | tree |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 7 |
| mature height cm | 2500 |
| min zone | 3 |
| max zone | 7 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | false |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Littleleaf Linden?
Bees love the June flowers; aphid honeydew drips.
Who eats it
Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is medium. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 30 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.8. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.2. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: no. It needs at least 140 frost-free days. Its tolerance of chalky soil is low. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -33°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a single stem form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads by seed at a moderate rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: yes. Its tolerance of hedging is medium. At maturity it reaches about 100.0 feet. By twenty years it is about 45 feet. Its roots go down at least 26 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in early summer. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is fine. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is porous in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits high. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: no.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: yes. Seedling vigour is medium. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02