Science and life // Illustrations

Science and life // Illustrations

Linden leaves different varieties: 1 - Manchurian; 2 - large-leaved; 3 - Amur; 4 - Caucasian; 5 - small-leaved; 6 - European; 7 - variegated; 8 - Komarova linden.

At the height of summer, when all our trees have long since faded, the linden tree finally blooms. For many this is a whole event. Both in the forest and on the street you can hear everywhere: “The linden tree has bloomed! The linden tree is blooming!” At this time, there is a wonderful and delicate aroma throughout the entire area. The linden inflorescence has 3-15 flowers, each of which consists of five petals and sepals with nectaries and many stamens. The flowers are not bright, not lush, but when the tree is in full bloom, the branches bend under their weight. The crown becomes pale golden, as if doused with nectar and sprinkled with honey.

In many regions of Russia, the main species that grow is the heart-shaped or small-leaved linden, reaching a height of 25-30 m, with a wide spreading crown. Sometimes it forms pure linden forests, but more often it is found together with oak, maple, ash and other tree species.

In the first years, linden grows slowly and only by the age of 10 reaches a height of 2-2.5 m. In dense plantations it begins to bloom at 20-25 years, and in open areas at 10-15.

Linden is our best, most important honey plant. One hectare of linden forest of middle age (50-70 years) in favorable year during flowering (12-14 days) it produces about one ton of nectar. Linden honey is fragrant, healthy, has medicinal properties, therefore it is highly valued.

However, in recent years, for various reasons, the linden tree does not produce nectar abundantly every year. Therefore, about 20 years ago, we, teachers and students of the Chuvash Agricultural Institute, decided to extend the duration of linden flowering by planting different varieties. After all, even in the vast expanses of Russia, in addition to the small-leaved Taketa linden, large-leaved varieties grow - European, Caucasian, Amur, Manchurian, Siberian and others. There are about 50 of them all over the world, and they bloom and bear fruit in different time. Then we planted 62 linden trees different breeds, of which 40 are still growing. Some have already begun to bloom. Large-leaved linden blooms 5-8 days earlier than the resident middle zone, and Manchurian and Amur bloom the same number of days later than the small-leaved one. Growing linden trees in one place at the same time can extend the flowering period of this tree. Twenty years of experience have confirmed the correctness of our theoretical developments. The total flowering duration increased from 12-14 to 26-28 days. Every year we receive fragrant linden honey, regardless of the weather, because for some linden tree this particular air temperature always turns out to be optimal for nectar secretion.

In the old days, linden was planted in cities, villages, along roads, and was valued for its lush flowering, beauty, aroma, unpretentiousness and frost resistance. Now they are planting even more: it turned out that this tree can tolerate urban air pollution, and thanks to the huge surface of its leaves, it absorbs a lot of dust and carbon dioxide, thereby purifying the air environment. At the same time, the tree releases tens of kilograms of oxygen, necessary for all living things. Beneficial features linden trees will grow even more if trees are planted on the streets and in parks different types, differing in the duration of the growing season. For example, Manchurian and Amur lindens remain almost green and do not lose their air-purifying ability until the third ten days of October, while local ones shed their leaves already at the end of September.

Description, chemical composition, medicinal properties

Linden - description of the plant

Linden- a tree up to 20 - 30 m in height, with a large spreading crown. The bark is dark, almost black, deeply fissured; young branches are red-brown, usually glabrous. The leaves are alternate, long-petiolate, heart-shaped, blades 5-10 cm long, dark green, serrated above, with a long-pointed apex, usually symmetrical, less often unequal, the width is almost the same as the length, the leaves below are bluish-green, with tufts of yellowish-green brown hairs at the vein nodes. The leaves bloom in May-June. The flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, 10 mm in diameter, collected in 3-15 pieces in half-umbrellas. Each inflorescence contains a pale yellowish-green elongated-lanceolate thin bract leaf, about 6 cm long, fused with the peduncle up to half its length. The fruit is a single-seeded nut, 4 - 8 mm in diameter, spherical, tomentose-pubescent, with a woody or leathery shell, brown; seeds are broadly obovate, 4 - 5 mm long, shiny, red-brown. Flowering lasts about two weeks. Blooms in late June - July. The fruits ripen in August-September.

What parts of the linden tree are used for medicinal purposes?

WITH therapeutic purpose They use linden inflorescences (linden blossom) together with a bract - the fly.
The collection is carried out at a time when most of the flowers have bloomed, and the other part is still in the budding stage. Raw materials prepared in more late time, when some of the flowers have already faded, when dried they turn brown, crumble heavily and become unusable. The raw materials are dried immediately after collection under a canopy, in a ventilated room, in the attic or in a dryer at a temperature of 40 - 50 ° C, spreading in a layer of 3 - 5 cm. Readiness is determined by the fragility of the peduncles. You cannot dry it in the sun, as the raw material loses its color.

Chemical composition of linden

Linden flowers contain essential oil, which contains farneaol, glycosides - hesperidin and tiliacin, saponins, flavonoid glycosides quercetin and kaempferol, tannins, vitamin C (31.6%), carotene. Linden nectar contains about 40% sucrose and about 12% glucose and fructose. Linden leaves contain a lot of protein, 131 mg% vitamin C and carotene. The fruit contains about 60% fatty oil, similar in quality to Provençal oil. A triterpene substance was found in the bark - tiliadin and oil up to 8%.

Linden - medicinal, beneficial properties

The healing properties of linden are associated with quercetin and kaempferol. Tiliacin has phytoncidal activity. Linden preparations have a calming, analgesic, choleretic, diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, emollient effect, stimulate the stomach, and moderately reduce blood viscosity.
Linden preparations are used internally for increased nervous excitability, convulsions, chest pain, abdominal pain, colds, chronic cough, accumulation of phlegm in the lungs, abdominal pain caused by liver blockage, kidney disease, hypertension, childhood infections. As an auxiliary diaphoretic for influenza and acute bronchitis, insomnia, externally for rinsing the mouth and pharynx for inflammatory diseases, sore throats, for washing the face to give the skin elasticity.

Linden - use in folk medicine

• Linden blossom infusion: pour 2 cups of boiling water over 2 tbsp. l. crushed linden flowers, leave for 20 - 30 minutes. Drink 2 - 3 glasses a day as tea for colds, headaches, fainting, for gargling with sore throats and in the mouth during inflammatory processes.


• Unstrained infusion with steamed raw materials or young fresh leaves and buds are prescribed in the form of compresses for inflammation of hemorrhoids, breastfeeding, rheumatism, gout, and burns.


• A decoction of linden flowers is prepared at the rate of 3 - 4 tbsp. l. crushed flowers in 2 cups of water, boil for 10 minutes, filter.

Tilia cordata
Taxon: Malvaceae family ( Malvaceae)
Other names: small-leaved linden
English: Small-leaved Lime, Little-leaf Linden

The name comes from the Latinized Greek word tileia- , Latin cordatue- heart-shaped, which is due to the shape of the leaves.

Botanical description of linden

Linden heart-shaped - a tree up to 20-25 m in height, with a large spreading crown. Dark, almost black deeply fissured bark; young branches are red-brown, usually glabrous. The leaves are alternate, long-petiolate, heart-shaped, blades 5-10 cm long, dark green, serrated above, with a long-pointed apex, usually symmetrical, less often unequal, the width is almost the same as the length, the leaves below are bluish-green, with tufts of yellowish-green brown hairs at the vein nodes. Linden leaves bloom in May-June. The flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, 10 mm in diameter, collected in 3-15 pieces in half-umbrellas. Each inflorescence contains a pale yellowish-green elongated-lanceolate thin bract about 6 cm long, fused with the peduncle up to half its length. The fruit is a single-seeded nut, 4-8 mm in diameter, spherical, tomentose-pubescent, with a woody or leathery shell, brown; seeds are broadly obovate, 4-5 mm long, shiny, red-brown. The heart-shaped linden blossoms in late June - July, the fruits ripen in August-September.
Linden blossoms last 2-3 weeks, even less in hot weather. Flowers are pollinated by insects, mainly bees. The fruits fall in whole clusters in winter and are dispersed by the wind. In the first years, linden grows slowly, from 4-5 years of age growth accelerates, from 60 years of age it slows down again, and at 130-150 years of age it stops completely. The lifespan of linden is 300-400 years, but individual trees live up to 600 years. It also reproduces by stump shoots and layering; In many forests, the linden tree is entirely of coppice origin. Linden is extremely shade-tolerant and grows well next to oak trees and coniferous trees. Has a well developed root system. Heart-shaped linden is demanding on soil fertility and does not tolerate waterlogging. Resistant to cold, due to the relatively late leaf opening, it does not suffer from spring frosts. Every year fewer and fewer linden trees remain on Russian soil. In the forests it is mercilessly cut down, but in cities, among asphalt, it grows for only about 60 years. But during this time, it provides enormous assistance to humans: for example, a linden tree absorbs up to 16 kg of carbon dioxide in a year of its life - this is 1.5 times more than oak, and 5 times more than spruce.

Where does the heart-shaped linden grow?

Various types of linden are distributed throughout Europe. The cordate linden grows in the mixed forest zone of central European Russia, the western foothills of the Urals, in Bashkiria, Western Siberia, the Caucasus, Moldova, Crimea, and Ukraine.

Collection and preparation of heart-shaped linden

For medicinal purposes, linden inflorescences (linden blossom) are used together with the bract - the fly.
Flowers are collected at a time when most of the flowers have bloomed, and the other part is still in the budding stage. Raw materials prepared at a later time, when some of the flowers have already faded, turn brown when dried, crumble heavily and become unusable. From one young tree, growing on the edge, you can collect 0.7-1.5 kg of fresh inflorescences. The raw materials are dried immediately after collection under a canopy, in a ventilated room, in the attic or in a dryer at a temperature of 40-50 ° C, spreading in a layer of 3-5 cm. Readiness is determined by the fragility of the peduncles. You cannot dry it in the sun, as the raw material loses its color. The humidity of raw materials is allowed no higher than 12%. Store in a well-ventilated area, protected from light. At proper storage the raw material does not lose its properties for 3 years.

Chemical composition of linden

Linden flowers contain essential oil, which contains farnesol, glycosides hesperidin and tiliacin, saponins, flavonoid glycosides quercetin and kaempferol, tannins, vitamin C (31.6%), carotene.
Linden leaves contain a lot of protein, 131 mg/% vitamin C and carotene.
The fruits contain about 60% fatty oil, close in quality to Provencal oil, and in taste - to almond or peach
Triterpene substances - tiliadin and oil - up to 8% were found in linden bark.

Pharmacological properties of cormatata linden

The healing properties of linden are associated with quercetin and kaempferol. Tiliacin has activity. Linden preparations have a calming, diaphoretic, expectorant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, emollient effect, stimulate the stomach, and moderately reduce blood viscosity.

Use of linden in medicine

Linden preparations are used internally for increased nervous excitability, convulsions, chest pain, abdominal pain, chronic cough, accumulation of sputum in the lungs, abdominal pain caused by liver blockage, kidney diseases, childhood infections, as an auxiliary diaphoretic for influenza and acute bronchitis, insomnia, externally for rinsing the mouth and throat in inflammatory diseases, for washing the face to give the skin elasticity.
Tea made from fresh or dried linden flowers is an antispasmodic, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypotensive, and sedative. . .
Linden tea is also used in the treatment of indigestion, hypertension, hysteria, nervous vomiting and palpitations.

Medicinal preparations of cormatata linden

Linden blossom infusion: pour 2 cups of boiling water over 2 tbsp. l. crushed linden flowers, leave for 20-30 minutes. Drink 2-3 glasses a day as tea for colds, headaches, fainting, for gargling with sore throats and in the mouth during inflammatory processes.
Gargle and wash with a more concentrated infusion to soften the skin of the face.
Unstrained infusion with steamed raw materials or young fresh leaves and buds are prescribed in the form of compresses for inflammation of hemorrhoids, breastfeeding, rheumatism, gout, and burns.
Decoction of linden flowers prepared at the rate of 3-4 tbsp. l. crushed flowers in 2 cups of water, boil for 10 minutes, filter.
Linden charcoal. Coal made from linden wood is used for flatulence and diarrhea, in the treatment of gastric or dyspeptic disorders; powdered charcoal is used externally for burns or inflammation of the skin.
Fresh linden leaves help with - they cover the head.

Using linden inflorescences for cosmetic purposes

The pulp of brewed flowers is used as an emollient for poultices.
For dry skin, it is recommended to wash your face with a cold infusion of linden blossom. To refresh a tired face, apply a facial compress. Brew linden blossom and mint tea, strain and reheat. Pour hot into a large cup. Place a cup next to it cold water, prepare two soft cloth napkins. Soak a napkin in hot tea, wring it out, place it on your face and hold for two minutes, then replace it with a second napkin soaked in cold water. Change the compresses 2-3 times, the last one is cold, keep it for 5 minutes.
Linden blossom infusion: throw a handful of linden flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave it for 15 minutes, wrap it warmly, add 1/4 tsp to the infusion. honey Moisten your face and neck generously with the infusion and hold for 10 minutes. Place the remaining infusion in a cold place and repeat the procedure the next day. Shake before use. This wonderful product helps to rejuvenate the face, become beautiful and attractive.
Lotion for dry skin: infusion of linden flowers (1.5 tbsp flowers per glass of boiling water) mixed with 1 tsp. honey Wipe your face instead of washing.
For sagging facial skin, it is useful to make a hot compress of linden blossom, hops, and mint. Dried herbs are brewed with boiling water (1 tablespoon of the mixture per glass of water), leave for 15 minutes, strain. Soak a linen cloth in the hot broth, wring it lightly and apply to your face. Once it cools down, dip it into the hot solution again, squeeze it out and make a new compress. Repeat for 5-8 minutes.
Lime blossom decoction stops hair loss: 8 tbsp. l. linden blossom pour 0.5 liters of water and boil for 20 minutes. Cool, strain. Wash your hair with the resulting decoction.
For burns, use a decoction of linden blossom (4 tablespoons of flowers, pour 0.5 liters of water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes). You can also use a paste of linden flowers in the form of a poultice for burns.

The active time of linden is from 2 to 6 o'clock. It rests from 6 to 7 o'clock. The energy of linden is strong and soft. It causes a feeling of warmth and peace, relieves oppression and... It is best to communicate with the linden tree in the afternoon, in the summer, and always in warm, dry weather.

Use of linden on the farm

Linden is the main honey plant of forests and parks in Russia. There are up to 17 million linden flowers per 1 hectare of linden forest with a total supply of nectar of more than 1.5 tons. good years one bee family takes up to 5 kg of honey from a linden tree per day and up to 50 kg during the entire flowering period. Linden honey is considered the best for its taste and healing qualities.
On Far East and in Korea, buds and young leaves are used after cooking in salads.
Fresh young linden leaves are suitable for preparing spring vitamin salads.
If necessary, you can cook porridge from young linden shoots (the softest and most tender tips of the branches - no more than 10 cm). The twigs are cut into pieces of 2-3 cm, each piece is cut into several thin strips along the fibers, and then boiled in slightly salted water until completely softened.
Edible oil is obtained from linden fruits, which taste like nuts.
A paste of crushed flowers and unripe fruits is used to prepare a very acceptable quality chocolate substitute, however, the resulting chocolate paste is prone to decomposition and is therefore not marketed.
Linden blossom is widely used instead of tea; it has a sweet, pleasant aroma. Linden flowers are used to flavor alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Linden juice- Harvested in the spring, it is sweet and can be used as a drink or processed into syrup.
Linden wood is very light, white or cream, and easy to process. It is used to make tubs, troughs, beehives, dishes, furniture, etc., and burns excellent quality coal. Wood waste containing a large number of starch, grind and feed to livestock. Bast (bast) is used for mats, matting, washcloths, and various weavings. In former times, linden matting bags were the most common container in Russia, and bast bast shoes were the everyday footwear of rural residents. They made ropes from bast, made harnesses, purses and other household items.

Used Books

1. Maznev N.I. Encyclopedia of medicinal plants. 3rd ed. - M.: Martin, 2004
2. U.P. Hedrick, E.Lewis Sturtevant. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972. ISBN 978-0486204598
3. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Margaret Grieve Paperback, 1931
4. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. 1995, ISBN: 978-0888503343
5. Edmund Launert. Guide to Edible and Medicinal Plants of Britain and Northern Europe. Hamlyn, 1989. ISBN-13: 978-0600563952
6. J. Triska. The Hamlyn encyclopedia of plants. Hamlyn, 1975
7. Uphof. JC Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants, Second edition. Cramer, Wiirzburg, 1968
8. Johnson, C.P. Useful plants of Great Britain. 1862
9. Jean Lauriault. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1989

Which gave its name to the month of July (“ Lipen" - that’s what it’s called in Ukraine even now).

Linden - a symbol of femininity, softness and tenderness. It symbolizes the feminine principle, and not only among the Slavic peoples.

The Slavs revered the linden not only as a sacred tree, but also as mother tree. Linden will feed and shoe and heal. A spoon, cup, ladle, tray and other household items were carved from linden. For many centuries, our ancestors walked in linden bast shoes. And Linden is also a good honey plant.

There are many varieties of Linden. The most common Linden in our area is the cordate Linden.

Where does linden grow?

Linden can be seen in forests, gardens, city boulevards and parks.

Linden grows in many countries from southern Britain and central Scandinavia to European Russia, the Caucasus, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain. Linden grows even in the north in Norway, Finland and the Arkhangelsk region.

Linden is the only Central Russian broad-leaved tree that grows beyond the Urals.

Linden grows best in warm and fairly humid areas.

What does Lipa look like?

Linden can always be distinguished from other trees. In summer, along the heart-shaped leaves. When there are no leaves - along the characteristic reddish young branches with buds, and along the soft warm bark. What can I say, Lipa is all full of femininity, softness, tenderness, and care.

Linden in the forest it grows from 10 to 30 meters.

Crown Linden dense, dense, strongly shading the soil. The leaves are round, with a heart-shaped base, finely toothed.

Linden flowers pale yellow, fragrant, with a honey aroma, collected in inflorescences.

Small, pea-sized fruits-nuts are collected several on separate stalks, and each such stalk is equipped with a special wing, thin and quite wide. This wing helps the seeds to fly away from the tree in winter.

When the linden tree blooms

Linden is especially good during flowering, when the tree is covered from top to bottom with fragrant flowers.

Linden blossoms in June-July. Flowering lasts 10-15 days. When the Linden tree blooms, a surprisingly subtle, delicate honey aroma flows in the air, which is felt far beyond the boundaries of the Linden gardens and parks.

Linden blossoms in natural conditions in the 20th year of life, and in plantations - only after 30 years.

Linden in spring

In early spring, in anticipation of awakening, the branches of the Linden tree in the forest turn red and the buds swell. Young leaves add spring colors to the still transparent forest. But you won’t see Linden flowers in spring.

Linden in summer

Linden is not a young, beautiful maiden, like Birch, but a mature, wise woman - a mother. That’s why it blooms in the summer, filling the forests and surrounding areas with a sweet aroma.

In summer, when it’s hot, a pleasant coolness reigns in the shady linden park.

Early autumn in the greenery of Linden appear as if the sun's rays. It is the individual branches that put on a golden outfit. Until the whole tree is covered with golden yellow foliage. IN sunny days its yellow crowns look especially elegant against the background of the blue sky. And even in late autumn the linden park is very beautiful. The ground is covered with a carpet of fallen leaves, and against this background the black columns of the trunks stand out especially sharply.

When the cold winds remove the last clothing from the forest and it hides somewhere in its depths under the rough bark, the seeds of the Linden tree are still hanging like nuts, swaying on long legs.

Lipa in winter stands majestically in a snowy robe. Linden seeds feed on a whole army of small birds - tap dancers, bullfinches, siskins and many others, as well as mouse-like rodents - mice and voles.

Healing properties of Linden

Doctors of Ancient Greece and Rome used it to treat a wide variety of diseases, and its juice was used to improve hair growth.

Linden flowers used for coughs, runny nose, bronchitis, kidney and bladder diseases.

Linden flowers used as a diaphoretic and antipyretic for sore throat, bronchitis, colds, and as a sedative for increased nervous excitability. Extract from linden inflorescences is also used for mild digestive and metabolic disorders.

A popular disinfectant used for inflammation of the mouth and throat (for rinsing).

Linden leaf decoction Used for pain in the stomach and urethra.

Boiled young Linden bark produces mucus with anti-inflammatory and pronounced analgesic properties. Mucus is used in the form of lotions for burns, inflammation of hemorrhoids and for rheumatic and gouty pain.

Application of linden

Very nutritious and consumed in the same way as hazelnuts, walnuts. From them an oil is obtained that is close in quality to olive oil and tastes like almond oil.

Fresh Linden leaves used for making salads, and dried ones are added to dough.

Also used instead of tea for brewing with other medicinal plants or with tea.

People began to use linden bark for economic purposes long ago; they wove baskets, bast shoes, baskets and other products from it.

Linden is considered an excellent honey plant; its honey is called “lipets” and is classified as high-quality.

Tilia cordata Mill. - big is good for everyone famous tree from the linden family (Tiliaceae) with a slender trunk up to 25 m high and a wide crown. The bark is brown, smooth on young trunks and branches, and with grooved cracks in the upper layer on thicker ones. Linden has a well-developed root system with a deeply penetrating taproot, making it wind-resistant.
The leaves are alternate, heart-shaped, from 2 to 8 cm long and wide, pointed at the apex, finely serrated along the edge of the blade, with well-defined venation, green above, glabrous, slightly bluish below, with tufts of yellowish-brown hairs along the veins. Leaf petioles are long, tomentose, turning red in autumn. On coppice shoots, the leaves are much larger - up to 12 cm in length and width. Linden is distinguished by its late leafing out; it becomes green in our forests almost the last, at the end of May and even in June (only oak puts on leaves later than linden).
The flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, up to 1 cm in diameter, collected in 3-15 corymbose inflorescences, equipped with a yellowish-greenish lanceolate-shaped leaf, fused with the axis of the inflorescence up to half its length. Each flower has a 5-leaf calyx, a 5-petalled corolla with a diameter of up to 1 cm, many (up to 30) stamens fused into 5 bunches, a pistil with an upper 5-locular ovary, a short thick style and 5 stigmas. Linden blooms in July (less often at the end of June), flowering lasts 2-3 weeks. Flowers are pollinated by insects.
The fruit is a spherical nut with a diameter of 4-8 mm with a rather thin and fragile shell. The fruits ripen in September, but fall from the trees only in winter, when the trees are already bare. Whole inflorescences fall off and are carried by the wind, and the preserved bract serves as a sail. In winter, after a thaw, when the snow compacts and becomes covered with a crust (infusion), the wind carries linden fruits across the infusion like small ice buoys.
Linden reproduces in nature mainly by vegetative means: layering and stump shoots. In many linden forests, the entire tree stand is essentially of coppice origin. However, it is not for nothing that the linden produces so many fruits; the seed path of renewal is also not alien to it. In forests where there are at least single linden trees, linden seedlings can almost always be found. Let us note, however: not everyone will guess that the shoot with two leaves, the blade of which is strongly dissected, belongs to a linden tree; these leaves are very different from those hanging on the tree.
During the first 5 years of life, linden seedlings grow slowly, then growth accelerates, and from about 60 years of age it slows down again. At 130-150 years old, the linden reaches its maximum growth and practically no longer increases in height, but its crown and trunk thickness continue to increase for a long time. The linden tree lives for 300-400 years; individual trees are known to live up to 600 years.

Spread of linden

Range of the heart-shaped linden- Europe and adjacent areas of Asia. It is widespread in the middle and southern zone of the forest zone and forest-steppe of the European part of Russia. Separate fragments of the range of this species are represented in Western Siberia (island linden forests in Kuznetsk Alatau and other places). It forms pure forests (linden forests), and is found as an admixture in deciduous and mixed forests, where the basis of the tree stand is made up of other species, such as pedunculate oak. Often forms the second layer in oak forests and coniferous-deciduous forests. Demanding on soil fertility, does not tolerate waterlogging.
It is widely grown in urban plantings along streets, in parks and squares, as well as in roadside plantings. It tolerates crown trimming well. In Moscow and other cities of European Russia, along with cordate linden, large-leaved linden (Tilia platyphyllos Scop.), native to Central Europe, is widely represented in plantings. It differs from our domestic linden in having larger leaves and flowers, as well as more early flowering(for about 2 weeks).
Linden is an exceptionally shade-tolerant tree species, so it can grow even in the second tier of dense spruce forests. Its growth is not hindered by shading. At the same time, the linden tree itself, which develops a large crown rich in leaf mass, provides dense shade, which prevents the regeneration of many trees and shrubs under its canopy.

Other related linden species

In the Far East there are local species of linden, equivalent in healing properties heart-shaped linden, morphologically similar to it: Amur linden (Tilia amurensis Rupr.), Manchurian linden (Tilla mandshurica Rupr.), etc.

Economic use of linden

Like any tree species, linden has the widest use of wood. It is light, soft, and although it is not very suitable for construction, it is indispensable for the manufacture of many carpentry products. Linden is used to make tubs, beehives, furniture, dishes, and drawing boards. But it is especially valued by artists specializing in such an art form as wood carving. Bizarre cornices, delicate images of fruits, flowers, cupids, which amaze us in the palaces of the 18th-19th centuries, were mostly carved from linden wood. And in churches, icon frames often owe their pretentiousness to linden.
No matter how unusual it may seem, waste from linden wood processing in the form of sawdust, stumps, and shavings can serve as feed for livestock, as they contain a lot of starch. Naturally, before feeding waste, it must be dried and ground into powder. Linden produces first-class charcoal.
Of no less interest to National economy represents the linden bark, or rather its inner part - the bast. It is used for matting, mats, washcloths, and various wicker products. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, linden matting bags were the most common container in Russia. The bark of young linden trunks is called bast. The everyday shoes of the Russian peasant - bast shoes - have been made from bast for many centuries. Ropes, all kinds of harnesses, and various bags and purses were made from it. Bark stripped from old trunks covered the roofs.
It is difficult to find a person who does not know that linden is an excellent honey plant. In places where there is a lot of it, despite the short flowering period, bees manage to collect abundant bribes from linden trees - one bee colony (or rather, one hive) can produce up to 5 kg of linden honey per day. This honey is distinguished by its transparency, unique aroma and taste; it is deservedly highly valued as a wonderful food and medicinal product.
Linden inflorescences (“linden blossom”) have long been used as a substitute for tea in Rus'. They are used to flavor alcoholic drinks. Young, newly blossomed linden leaves are also used for food. Leafy linden branches are excellent food for livestock. They are harvested in the summer, tied like brooms and hung under the roof of barns and houses. In this state they dry out, and in winter they are gradually fed.
One cannot fail to mention the beauty of linden trees. This breed has long been bred as decorative tree in Russian noble estates. Alleys were laid from it, many of which have survived to this day, although they are already 150-200 years old. Now linden is lined with city streets and boulevards; it forms the basis of many parks.

Features of the preparation of medicinal raw materials of linden

Collect Linden blossom during the full bloom of flowers. The collection period is short, because the linden tree blooms for only 10-20 days. It is, of course, advisable to cut or pick individual inflorescences so as not to cause damage to the trees. But in practice, usually with garden shears on a long pole, they cut off branches abundantly planted with flowers and pick off the inflorescences from them. With careful harvesting in this way, you can ensure minimal damage to the tree (you need to take only part of the branches from each tree, while trying to cut off the entire branches, but only their apical part). From one tree you can collect up to 1.5 kg of fresh inflorescences.
We remind you that under no circumstances should linden blossoms be harvested on city streets or in roadside plantings, no matter how attractive they look here blooming linden trees. Air pollution from vehicle engine exhaust makes raw materials collected near roads and in street plantings unsuitable for either treatment or tea.
The collected raw materials should be dried without delay to prevent them from turning black. Air dry it in the shade, in ventilated areas, spreading it in a thin layer on a clean bedding. The inflorescences should not be overdried so that individual flowers do not fall off. Properly dried raw materials have a pleasant honey aroma.

Medicinal value of linden and methods of medicinal use

Medical raw materials with the trade name “Linden flowers, or linden blossom” are inflorescences collected together with the bracts. They contain essential oil, carotene, flavonoids, saponins, ascorbic acid and other substances.
In scientific and folk medicine Linden inflorescences are prescribed as a diaphoretic for the prevention and treatment of colds. They are part of the sweatshop taxes. Linden infusion also has bactericidal properties, so it is effective as a rinse for the mouth and throat for various inflammatory diseases; it is also prescribed for sore throats (it’s a good idea to add 5 g of baking soda to a glass of warm broth).
Excellent medicine is linden honey. Like linden tea, it is effective against colds and is very useful for many other diseases and ailments.

For colds, there are several ways to prepare linden infusion and decoction for sweating. 10g (3 tablespoons) of raw materials are placed in enamel dishes, pour 200 ml (1 glass) hot boiled water, close with a lid and heat in boiling water (in a water bath) for 15 minutes, cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, filter, squeeze out the remaining raw materials. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted to 200 ml with boiled water. The prepared infusion is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days. Take hot, 1-2 glasses 2 times a day after meals as a diaphoretic, diuretic and antimicrobial agent.

Two tablespoons of inflorescences are brewed as tea in 2 glasses of boiling water, boiled for 10 minutes, filtered and 2-3 glasses drunk hot at night.

One tablespoon per 1 glass of water, boil for 30 minutes. The solution obtained in this way also has antiulcer, desensitizing activity, stimulates the regeneration of soft tissues and the performance of the body.
Linden blossom has been known in folk medicine since ancient times. You can make a wonderful drink from linden flowers pleasant aroma, beautiful golden color - linden tea, which has a healing effect: diaphoretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory, emollient. Tea perfectly quenches thirst. Just don’t go outside immediately after drinking tea.
They tear flowers with narrow yellowish leaves, i.e. whole inflorescences, in dry weather in the morning. Dry in an oven or in the sun. Before brewing, dried linden blossom is lightly fried to improve the flavor bouquet. To increase sweating, you can add the same amount of raspberries to the kettle.

Place equally 2 tablespoons of a mixture of linden blossom and raspberry fruits into 1 cup of boiling water, boil for 5-10 minutes, strain. Drink hot in one dose for colds and flu.
A hot 10% decoction of linden inflorescences along with honey or raspberry jam before bed is healing.
Since ancient times, linden blossom has been known in peasant life in Rus' as a blood purifier, analgesic, sedative, and diuretic and was used for rheumatism, gout, abdominal pain, kidney stones and gallstone colic, and inflammation of the female genital area.
The linden bark is crushed and mixed with cold water, the inside cleanses and moves.
The juice is squeezed out of the pimples that are found on linden leaves, and with this we will anoint the bodily uncleanness, and so the body will become clean and smooth.
The leaves of the linden tree, when they spread out anew, are boiled in wine and consumed, any outflow (swelling) of the interior will fall from it.

Ancient herbalists report that linden blossom is beneficial for hypochondriacs and people prone to strokes; tincture of linden blossom was used to cure “old epileptic disease.”

Not everyone knows that linden blossom can also treat nervous diseases. A strong decoction - 5 tablespoons of crushed inflorescences per 0.5 liters of water, boil for 30 minutes. - helps with neuroses, severe nervous breakdown, frequent fainting, convulsions.
But it has a more clear anticonvulsant effect alcohol tincture linden inflorescences, which is prepared as follows:
Fill the jar to the top with a loose layer of freshly dried inflorescences, without compacting them, and fill with vodka to the very edge; leave for 2-3 weeks. Take 7 teaspoons 3 times a day, and before bedtime increase the dose to 1 tablespoon. Unfortunately, stale linden blossom does not give the desired effect.

It is more beneficial for children suffering from seizures to give fresh linden juice, collected in early spring at the beginning of sap flow.
Linden has a disinfectant effect, so an infusion of inflorescences is used to rinse the mouth and throat for sore throat.

Brew 20 g of linden blossom in 1 cup of boiling water, cool to the temperature of fresh milk, add 5 g of bicarbonate of soda (dissolve soda in warm broth).

Mix well linden blossom with sage and chamomile in equal parts, brew 1 teaspoon of the mixture with 1 glass of boiling water. Apply the infusion every 2-3 hours.
Linden fruit powder stops bleeding from the nose and wounds.
For breastfeeding, ulcers, burns, hemorrhoids, swollen joints, painkillers and anti-inflammatory poultices are effective.
Boil 2-4 tablespoons of linden leaves with boiling water, wrap in gauze and place on the sore spot.
Lubricate or make compresses on the affected areas from fresh linden bast. It is good to apply to painful hemorrhoids.

A pulp of fresh leaves and leaf buds is used as an emollient.
Consumption and diathesis were treated with the inner layers of fresh linden bark, taken internally. You can also drink mucous decoctions from linden leaves or bark.

Dried linden branches are burned on a fire or in a stove. Choose coal. Crushed, 3-4 teaspoons are taken orally for bloating or diarrhea. When treating tuberculosis, take 1 teaspoon of charcoal diluted with goat's milk.
Linden is known as a remedy for stopping hair loss.

Eight tablespoons of linden blossom are poured into 0.5 liters of water and boiled for about 20 minutes. The resulting decoction is used for washing hair.

Masks and decoctions of linden blossom are an indispensable product for caring for dry skin. Linden decoction refreshes and tones it well. Concentrated warm linden decoction can be added to any nourishing cream.

Take 2 teaspoons of nourishing cream for dry skin and mix with 2 teaspoons of concentrated hot decoction of various herbs and linden blossom. The warm mass is applied to the face and neck in the form of a mask.
It is very useful, instead of washing, to wipe dry facial skin with a cold infusion of linden blossom (from dry raw materials). In combination with honey, this procedure has a rejuvenating effect. In combination with dill, it tones sagging, wrinkle-prone skin.

Recipes for therapeutic nutrition from linden

Linden seeds are very nutritious, they are used in the same way as hazelnuts or walnuts, from them an oil is obtained that is close in quality to olive oil and tastes like almond oil.
Fresh leaves are used to make salads, dried leaves are added to dough.

Salad of linden and dandelion leaves
Young linden leaves are washed, finely chopped and mixed with crushed dandelion leaves, green onions and dill. Season with sour cream or vegetable oil. Linden leaves - 50 g, dandelion leaves - ZOg, green onions, greens
dill, 1 tablespoon sour cream or vegetable oil, salt.
Young leaves are dried and stored in paper bags. Dried leaves, ground into powder, are added to the dough for vitaminization.

Linden flower jam
The flowers are cut off from the stalks, placed in a colander, washed with water and placed in an enamel bowl. Prepare syrup (400 g of sugar, 1 liter of water per 1 kg of flowers), boil it, filter and pour boiling syrup over the flowers, ensuring that they are completely immersed in the syrup. In 5min. add until the end of cooking citric acid(3 g per 1 kg of flowers). The finished jam is packaged in sterile jars and cooled.

Linden is popularly called unmercenary.
"Who to linden will suit, he will leave with goodness,
He will prepare the leaf and feed the cattle,
It will protect you from the heat and rain and calm your heart.
The bee will collect honey
The owner will leave with a broom,
He will put on shoes, dress, drink, warm,
It will drive away a bad cold.
People remember whoever plants the linden tree,
God prolongs his life.”
According to Raphael, the linden tree is ruled by Jupiter, the ruling planet for people born under the signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. According to Sedir, linden is ruled by the Moon and is healing for those born under the sign of Cancer.