Best time to see: all year

Key facts

A tall narrow tree with heart-shaped leaves and smooth grey-tinged bark, often managed as coppice

The limes widely planted as street trees are hybrids of this species and the large-leaved lime

Once widespread across lowland Britain but now, because of long term climate change, confined to a few Essex woods

Extras

Rounded leaves with serrated edge, up to 6cm; flowers spread irregularly and do not hang on long stalks like other limes