If you have ever sat between active beehives you might be able to imagine the sound of the bees in our Linden Trees when the blossom is at its peak, but you probably can’t imagine the smell if you have never encountered it. We have five Lindens in the courtyard between the front of the house (where we park) and the orchard. Several decades ago there were six and the gap in the canopy is still very present. The trees that would have been linked to the missing tree are smaller, although otherwise healthy and right now they are just as full of bees and flowers as the two larger trees closest to the house. When we step outside the door or walk up from the private courtyard in the morning we are hit by the most intense lemon-honey scent and air thick with a sweetness you can smell as you walk past the house on the road. But more than the scent, the air in the courtyard vibrates from the sound or maybe the air displaced by all of those tiny wings. I tried to record the sound but it is a surround sound that gets into your head like spring peepers if you ever disturbed them by a pond. It is almost disorientating.
There is a table and two chairs under the biggest tree and it is hard not to just sit here all day bathing in the sound and scent. Too soon it will be over and the petals will fall, followed by the hard little seeds in the autumn that only the soldier beetles can open, and then the leaves. But for now it is perfect.
Lindens are also known as Lime Trees because of the scent. The internet tells me there are eleven different kinds of Linden. Ours are Little-Leafed Lindens (Tilia cordata), although “little” is relative as the leaves are 3-4” and the trees can grow to 70’ tall with a 50’ spread. Linden trees usually have a lifespan of several hundred years, but according to Wikipedia there is a thousand year tree in Germany (although that is a large leaf variety), so hopefully ours will outlive us! In winter, although leafless they are home to birds especially those that like to pick the insects out of the thick moss that lines the north side of the trees. But once they start to leaf, the trees provide rich shade almost instantly — and it is enjoyed by us and the various local barn cats that have adopted us and taken care of our fruit/roof rats in return for a supply of kibble.
Most parts of the Linden are edible. The flowers, dried or fresh, make a lovely tisane whose delicate taste is just as they smell. Young leaves are great in salads, and older ones as well at a push, and I read that the seeds can be ground to grain although I am not confident that any human could get through the shell. But like almost all of the plants on this property, Linden is credited with medicinal properties, in particular for its calming ability (just sit under the tree and you’ll feel that, but also try the tea). It contains chemicals that are said to counteract cortisone, reduce stress, and act as a mild sedative.
Among the prescriptons I read online: steep dried linden flowers in hot water for 10–15 minutes and drink before bed for a soothing end to the day to aid relaxation and give you a good night’s sleep; steep the flowers for longer (one or two hours) and chill it then drink to get comfort from hot flashes. A few drops of a tincture made of Linden flowers is also said to reduce stress. I have heard it said that a warm bath infused with Linden flowers is also relaxing. I think I’ll try that given how many flowers we currently have. Also, I bought salt from the pink lake in Senegal that is credited with being a relaxing and healing addition to a bath. A plan is forming! When I get back from my symposium in Coventry I’ll be ready for a relaxing bath, and we have an amazing claw-footed soaking tub that nobody has used since we moved here! (Did I mention that those claw feet are painted gold?)
According to [https://theschoolofwildmedicine.com/linden-medicinal-uses-the-soothing-power-of-linden-revealed/] “The flavonoids and antioxidants found in linden help improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, and support overall heart function,” and even reduce cholesterol. For this a tea or infusion is the key. The same site notes that Linden has a long history of use as a remedy for colds, flu, and respiratory infections, working as an expectorant to ease congestion and an anti-inflammatory agent to soothe sore throats” when mixed with honey. Finally, it also has a history of gastrointenstinal support, especially when the tea is drunk before meals.
So basically, we bought a house featuring five trees that were traditionally used to treat everything that ails me. Interesting. And the birds, bugs, and bees love them, too. (See “Buds and Bugs” for more about gendarme or soldier bugs).
And here is a recipe for Linden flower jelly.
(A standard “batch” will yield about five 8 oz jars if you use 4 cups of sugar, less if less sugar)
- Harvest 3-4 cups of flowers (just the flowers) wash and add to an one quart mason jar until it is full;
- Pour boiling water into the mason jar and steep for about an hour to make a tea;
- Strain off the flowers and add the tea to a saucepan with 2 TBS lemon juice (lemon juice is not optional for flower jelly);
- Bring to the boil and add a box of pectin, if you want to use less sugar I suggest sure jell low sugar pectin
- For regular pectin, you need a 1:1 sugar to fruit ratio (this is essential if you want it to set), so 4 cups of sugar
- If using low sugar pectin, 1 – 2 cups of sugar is good for this recipe;
THE ESSENTIAL STEP:
Boil the tea, lemon juice, and pectin for one full minute before adding any sugar — do this regardless of what kind of pectin you use or how much sugar you add (if you add the sugar right away the pectin won’t work and the jelly won’t set)
- Once the jelly has boiled for 1 minute, add the sugar and stir to incorporate;
- Return to a boil, and boil for 1 full minute before ladling into jelly jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Preserving
- Follow standard guidelines for water bath canning if you prefer to do that; if not, let the jars cool to room temperature on the counter and then store in the refrigerator (for up to a month) or freezer (be sure to use straight-sided freezer-safe jars) frozen jelly will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months — which may help get you through the darkest winter months.
This is a good resource for all fruit and flower jellies if you want to make your own flower jelly, which I hope to be doing this summer: https://creativecanning.com/flower-jelly/
