By mid summer, most of the trees and shrubs on our Littleton, Colorado, farm are producing fruit, having flowered back in the spring. An exception is our linden (also known as a basswood), a large deciduous tree that blooms in July.
Already sizable when we purchased the property, 33 years ago, the linden is now one of our larger trees. Though three decades of storms (especially heavy, wet snow in late spring) have "pruned" it into an uneven shape, the tree remains healthy and has produced a massive number of fragrant yellow flowers this year (see photo).
The dangling flower clumps attract a wide variety of pollinators (especially bees) and are used by some humans to brew tea. While providing beauty and shade, lindens also tolerate the semi-arid climate of the Front Range; indeed, we have never actively watered the tree. Fortunately, this year, frequent spring and early summer rains have benefited all of our plants, including the linden.
