Tilia mongolica 'Buda'

Tilia mongolica ‘Buda’ (Mongolian lime ‘Buda’) was selected around 2010 by the University of Budapest in Hungary. It is a very healthy and compact tree between twelve and fifteen metres tall with a semi-open pyramidal crown between eight and twelve metres wide. The weeping, outermost branches and twigs give Mongolian lime ‘Buda’ an ornamental and informal character.

The beautiful, decoratively deeply cut leaf of Tilia mongolica ‘Buda’ is small but larger than that of the species and looks like a grape leaf in terms of its form. The leathery, glossy leaf emerges green with a grey-green underside, changes to a delightful yellow in autumn and stays on the tree until the end of November. In June Mongolian lime ‘Buda’ is smothered in a profusion of cream-white, fragrant clusters of flowers. Bees and other insects love it! Tilia mongolica ‘Buda’ has a lightly grooved, grey-brown bark and hardened red shoots which ensure that the tree is particularly noticeable in winter.

Mongolian lime ‘Buda’ is reasonably tolerant of shade and drought and very hardy. The selection will grow on any soil, tolerates paved areas, is not affected by infestations of lice and this makes it the perfect street, avenue and square tree. A large container or a solid substrate very well suited to improving the habitat of trees is advisable. For parks and gardens too, the selection ‘Buda’ is certainly of added value. The tree prefers a sheltered site from the wind because of its rather firmly-held branches on (reasonably) nutrient-rich, moist soil. The stems of solitary Mongolian limes are sensitive to sunburn and so it is recommended to protect the bark until the crown casts sufficient shade over the stems. Tilia mongolica ‘Buda’ responds well to pruning and can, therefore, also be used as a pleached lime which is not affected by sticky honeydew.