- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossoms
- When is flowering time?
- fruit
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- Water the lime tree
- Fertilize the lime tree properly
- Cut the lime tree correctly
- hibernate
- Multiply linden tree
- offshoot
- Diseases
- pests
- tip
- sorts
The linden tree owes its name to the deciduous tree native to us to its large, heart-shaped leaves. After a few years in oblivion, the tree, which originated in Africa, is beginning to blossom again into a more well-known houseplant. The following is about their cultivation.
The linden tree flowers in the winter months
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossoms
- When is flowering time?
- fruit
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- Water the lime tree
- Fertilize the lime tree properly
- Cut the lime tree correctly
- hibernate
- Multiply linden tree
- offshoot
- Diseases
- pests
- tip
- sorts
- Zimmerlinde comes from South Africa
- Habitat of origin rather cool, moderately humid and bright
- Discovered and introduced to Europe by Anders Sparrmann
- Described by Carl von Linnaeus jr.
- Shrub-like to tree-like habit
- Forms a widely branched, spreading crown
- Can grow up to 7 m high in the original habitat, here only 3 m
- Heart-shaped, large-scale shape reminiscent of linden leaves
- With pointed anterior bulges in old age
- Light green color
- Slightly wavy surface texture, densely hairy
- Up to 20 cm long and wide
- Are more common in cool cultivation and moderate pruning
- Large, pretty appearance with white petals and yolk yellow-brown tuft of stamens
- Stand together in large umbels
- Flowering time of the individual flowers only short
- Overall long flowering period: from November to May or all year round
- Bright but without direct sunlight
- Rather cool: 15-18 °C
- Fairly high humidity
- Room lime relatively thirsty
- Needs regular, copious watering
- Nevertheless, avoid waterlogging
- Spraying is good for her
- Water less in winter
- Regular fertilization of the linden makes sense due to the relatively high nutrient requirement
- Apply liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks in summer and autumn
- Long-term supply of nutrients through compost/horn shavings in the substrate
- In winter, fertilize at most every 3 weeks or not at all
origin
The most common species of the linden tree in this country, Sparrmannia africana, already reveals it: the plant originally comes from the African continent. Its German name "Kapländische Zimmerlinde" also suggests this.
It was discovered in the 18th century by the Swedish doctor and botanist Anders Sparrmann and introduced to Europe. His name is immortalized in the botanical name of the plant. Later it was Carl von Linné junior, the son of the famous Swedish botanist and naturalist of the same name, who described and listed the genus.
As a plant from the African south, the linden tree is adapted to a bright, moderately humid and comparatively cool habitat. Unlike many other indoor plants cultivated in this country that originate from Africa, their original environment is not tropical. A year-round indoor culture can be managed without any problems.
Origin in keywords:
growth
The habit of the Sparrmannia, which belongs to the mallow family, is shrub-like to tree-like. With its widely branching shoots, it forms a very sprawling crown over a more or less pronounced trunk. In its homeland, the linden tree can grow up to 7 m high, in the local room culture it is more content with a maximum of 3 meters, due to the lower light supply and the necessary pruning.
Growth characteristics at a glance:
leaves
The Sparrmannia's leaves are the main factor behind its common German name "zimmerlinde". Because with their large, heart-shaped appearance and their light green color, they are clearly reminiscent of the leaves of real linden trees.
But if you look closely, you will see a few differences: First of all, the leaf contour is characterized by angular bulges on the front edge at an advanced age - no lime tree species shows such a shape. Moreover, due to their slightly raised veins, linden leaves have a more wavy surface texture than linden leaves, which is not as fine and smooth. They still have a delicate consistency, and they are also densely hairy.
The leaf margins are serrated. Overall, the leaves can reach an impressive length and width of up to 20 centimeters. The stems are also about as long.
Sheet properties in brief:
blossoms
If you generally cultivate the linden tree cool and do not cut it back in spring, you can look forward to very pretty flowers throughout the winter and spring months. They feature delicate, white petals and a large, yolk-yellow and rust-colored cluster of many, long stamens. The individual flowers, which straighten up when they open, are held together in large umbels.
Flower properties at a glance:
When is flowering time?
The individual flowers of the linden tree have a relatively short residence time - the entire flowering period is all the longer. At least from November until May, new flowers can open again and again on the umbels. By consistently cutting them off after they have faded, you can encourage new growth. With permanently cool cultivation, the linden tree can also bloom all year round.
To remember:
fruit
If you maintain a frequent exchange of air between indoors and outdoors in your home and you can visit your linden tree with enough insects, the chances of pollination of the flowers are higher. However, it makes sense to aim for fruit formation if you plan to propagate using your own seeds.
The fruits have a capsule-like shape and are surrounded by a prickly shell, which is actually used for stripping and transport by animals.
Which location is suitable?
In keeping with its homeland on the South African coast, the Sparrmannia prefers a location that is comparatively cool and airy for indoor plants. She prefers 15 to 18°C - if you always like it to be cozy and warm at home, you might get into trouble here. However, in order not to have to do without the impressive ornamental leaf plant in this case, a location in the stairwell can also be an option.
The Sparrmannia likes a lot of light, but not direct sunlight. If possible, shade them with other plants or a light fabric if they are standing on an east- or west-facing window sill.
In summer you can also put the linden tree outside.
The humidity should be relatively high.
Site requirements at a glance:
What soil does the plant need?
The nutrient requirement of the Sparrmannia is medium-high. It is best to put them in a mixture of normal potting soil and a small amount of mature compost and/or a handful of horn shavings. (32.93€) A little loosening with sand is also recommended.
It is also possible to keep them in hydroponics with a soilless substrate made of expanded clay (€19.73) and a permanent water-nutrient footbath. This variant can be a solution especially for offices or for people who are at home irregularly.
Water the lime tree
When it comes to water, the linden needs a lot of attention. If you don't want to water all the time, hydroponics is a good idea. You need to provide them with plenty of water, especially during the main vegetation phase over the spring and summer months. Nevertheless, waterlogging should be avoided - so make sure that the substrate bale is always well dried before each watering and that no water remains in the saucer for a long time. The indoor lime tree, which loves humidity, is not averse to an occasional shower from the water disperser.
In winter, reduce the watering a little.
To remember:
Fertilize the lime tree properly
Due to its considerable nutrient requirements, it does no harm to fertilize the linden tree regularly throughout the growth phase. Simply use a universal liquid fertilizer that you add to the irrigation water every two weeks. When potting, the substrate should be enriched with organic long-term fertilizer in the form of compost and horn shavings.
During the winter break, reduce the additional fertilizer application to a maximum of once every three weeks or stop it altogether.
Fertilizer recommendations in brief:
Cut the lime tree correctly
The sprawling Sparrmannia needs regular pruning if you don't want it to take up all of the room in the long run. However, it is not overly cut-tolerant. For this reason alone, it is advisable to wait with trimming until the plant has reached an excessive size and width instead of regularly shortening it a little. You should also refrain from shortening the shoots every year because it blooms much more luxuriantly if it is not constantly being disturbed by pruning.
So the rule is: cut back radically if you have to for reasons of space, otherwise only cut off faded flowers. The radical pruning should be done in winter.
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hibernate
The Sparrmannia can basically be in the same location all year round, provided that the conditions are as species-appropriate as possible. That means: quite cool, rather below residential level temperature, as bright as possible without direct sun and good humidity.
The winter months tend to require a few changes in care. You should noticeably reduce both watering and fertilizing.
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Multiply linden tree
The easiest way to propagate a linden tree is through cuttings. But sowing is also possible.
cuttings
With this method, you cut off head cuttings of about 15 centimeters in length from the upper crown area. Liberate the lower area generously from leaves. You can simply root the cuttings in water or in a growth substrate made of peat and sand, which you then have to keep moist regularly. You should set up the cuttings in a warm, bright place that is protected from direct sunlight.
seed cultivation
Alternatively, you can also grow a room lime from seeds. If your mother plant has produced fruit, you can use your own seeds, but some are also available in specialist shops. The seeds are first soaked in water for at least 6 hours before you put them in pots with potting soil and cover them with some sand. It is best to cover the planters with foil to ensure an evenly moist and protected microclimate. The seeds need a lot of light and warmth to germinate, around 25°C is ideal.
After about two weeks, the seedlings should appear. Then lift the foil to give the young plants air and pull them to a size of about 5 centimeters. Then they let themselves be pricked.
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offshoot
See section "Propagation - Cuttings".
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Diseases
Fortunately, the linden tree is not often plagued by diseases and pests. Care mistakes are more likely to be responsible for any weaknesses, such as a location that is too dark or waterlogging. In the latter case, root rot or mold can develop, which will indicate the plant with yellow and falling leaves. In this case, the root ball should be thoroughly cleaned and placed in a fresh substrate.
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pests
The indoor lime does not want to be too warm and dry. That can of course happen in a heated room. In this case, it becomes more susceptible to known heat and drought-loving pests such as whitefly and scale or mealybugs.
The best way to control a whitefly infestation is to use sticky yellow tablets. The best way to combat scale and mealybugs is to first wipe them mechanically and then spray them with a mixture of spirit, curd soap and water.
tip
Because of its sprawling growth, it is advisable to place the linden tree in a large clay planter. In this way you ensure sufficient stability. Also, you don't need to repot as often.
sorts
Of the approximately 7 different species of the Sparrmannia genus, only Sparrmannia africana, the Cape lime tree, is actually relevant in this country. A few cultivars have emerged from this species, which are quite different in their appearance. So you have a relatively small, but quite varied selection. The best-known varieties are the S. a. Variegata, the S. a. Flore Pleno and the S.a. Nana.
Sparrmannia africana Variegata
The special feature of this variety is the whitish variegation of the leaves. It appears in a rather irregular structure on the distinctively veined foliage, which will certainly not appeal to lovers of symmetry. All the more so for fans of unusual leaf decoration phenomena. The leaves have a heart shape with at least three, if not five times, a pointed heart shape - in the latter case their contours are almost more reminiscent of maple leaves than of linden leaves.
Depending on the coolness of the location, the variety can show its white flowers with a yellow-reddish-brown center all year round.
Overall, S. a. Variegata up to about 3.50 m high and grows very bushy.
Sparrmannia africana Flore Pleno
The name of this variety already reveals what is so special about it: the flowers are double and usually appear in the spring and summer months in large, delicately structured, feathery hemispheres with numerous white petals, which change to yolk yellow and dusky pink in the center. This makes it certainly the most magnificent of the indoor linden varieties.
Its foliage leaves the stage for the lush flowers and appears in a simple, light matt green and with a multi-pointed contour. Their veining is somewhat more delicate than that of the S. a. Variegata, when they are old and have reached a certain size, they can slightly overhang the stem.
The S.a. In contrast to her fellow varieties, Flore Pleno likes to be in the sun. The fast-growing plant can reach a height of 3 or 4 m and a width of 2 to 4 m.
Sparrmannia africana Nana
The S.a. Nana is a dwarf variety. It is therefore particularly suitable for indoor linden fans who do not want to carry out any radical pruning in order to be able to keep the plant in the room permanently. The single flowers are white and can appear all year round.