Limes or Linden trees belong to the genus Tilia of which there are 45 species distrubuted around the northern hemisphere. They usually grow into large stately trees with elegant foliage.
They are tolerant of a wide range of soils, take regular hard pruning and can grow in polluted air. For these reasons they have been widely planted as street trees in cities around Europe.
The most commonly planted species is Tilia x europaea, a large long lived tree which produces suckering shoots around its base. It is usually inhabited by large populations of green fly in summer. The insects produce a sticky substance called honeydew which can be a bit of a problem, making paths and garden furniture sticky to touch. Another species T. platyphyllos suffers from the same problem.
T. x euchlora is smaller growing and does not either sucker nor have an aphid problem
Tea made from the flowers of lime tree has been traditionally used to sooth nerves and treat anxiety-related health problems.