Amur Lime

Tilia amurensis Rupr.

Tilia amurensis, known as Amur Lime, is a deciduous tree native to eastern Asia, including regions like Amur, Inner Mongolia, Korea, and Manchuria. It grows up to 20 meters tall, with alternate, heart-shaped to broadly ovate leaves that are 3–9 cm long and 3–7 cm wide. The leaves are glabrous on the upper surface and have tufts of brown hairs on the lower surface. The cymes are corymbous, with 3–20 flowers, each with a 1 cm pedicel and a 15 mm diameter. The fruit is orbicular or spatulate, densely covered in white or brown hairs. It flowers from late May to late July and fruits from mid-August to late September. The species is found in fertile, moist soils and is an important timber tree in Russia, China, and Korea.

Description

Tilia amurensis is part of the Malvaceae family and is distinguished by its smaller leaves, bracts, and cymes compared to Tilia cordata. It is adapted to colder climates and is occasionally used as a street tree in such regions. The species is sometimes confused with other Tilia species, such as T. insularis and T. taquetii, but these are considered variants of T. amurensis. Some taxonomic distinctions, such as the presence of staminodes in T. japonica, remain under study. The tree is valued for its timber and is distributed across parts of eastern Asia.