A Tree of Heaven in full leaf in August.

Each leaf has 11 to 25 leaflets. It is a pinnate leaf. At first sight the leaf looks like that of the Common Ash. Click HERE for a photo of a Common Ash leaf. May also be confused with the pinnate leaf of the Stag’s horn Sumach but its leaves are toothed.

The male flowers come out in July.

The fruit hangs, in the form of keys, like this in October. They look like Common Ash keys except for their colour.

The Mongolian Lime Tilia mongolica is a small tree native to eastern Russia, Mongolia and northern China. It was introduced to Britain in the 1880s. It has a very distinctive, attractive, leaf and is slow growing, so it is being used increasingly in town and city parks. The leaves turn yellow in autumn.

Henry’s Lime Tilia henryana is a medium-sized tree native to central China It was discovered in China by Augustine Henry, an Irish plantsman, and introduced to Britain in 1901. It has beautiful leaves with long yellow-tipped teeth but until recently has only been planted in a few gardens. In Europe it tends to be slow growing and so most trees are small.

Oliver’s Lime Tilia oliveri is native to central China. It was named after Daniel Oliver a former Keeper of the Kew Herbarium when it was introduced to Britain in 1900 by E.H.Wilson, the plant collector. It is a medium sized tree with elegant leaves that are silvery underneath. It is a beautiful tree but is only found in a few collections.