Caucasian linden
Tilia dasystyla subsp. caucasica
The bee tree of the Caucasus: June blossom for linden honey and for the tea poured all winter.
Hardiness: zones 5 to 8
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 80 ft tall, 40 ft wide
Harvest: June to July
From: Caucasus and northern Iran
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife, traditional use.
Native to: Caucasus. Hardy in zones 5 to 8.
The story
Lindens are the honey trees of the Caucasus. In early summer beekeepers move their hives up the valleys to follow the bloom, and the dried blossom is the tea kept in every kitchen.
Planting
Sun or part shade and deep, moist, fertile soil. It becomes a large tree.
Growing
Water young trees. It tolerates pruning and can be pollarded.
Harvest and use
Pick the flowers with their pale leafy bract when just open, dry them in shade and brew them as tea. The very young leaves are a mild salad green.
What to watch for
Aphids drip sticky honeydew below, so don't park under it.
Safety
Medicinal uses here are shared as history, not advice. Kitchen amounts are fine for most people, but teas, tinctures and supplements can interact with medicines and aren't safe for everyone, especially in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children, or with liver or kidney problems. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any plant as medicine.
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More helper plants for soil, wildlife and biomass
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home