Mongolian Linden

About Mongolian Linden in Alberta

Mongolian linden is a small to medium deciduous linden native to parts of northern and central China, including Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. In Alberta it is an introduced ornamental tree, best regarded as a rare and potentially site-sensitive survivor rather than a dependable landscape standard. Its small, often shallowly lobed, coarsely toothed leaves set it apart from the larger, smoothly heart-shaped leaves of most familiar planted lindens. A mature, healthy, documented specimen can be especially worthwhile to notice because provincial trials found the straight species unsuccessful at every test location.

Identification: Leaves are alternate and simple, broadly egg-shaped to somewhat triangular, usually about 3.5-8 cm long and wide. They are glossy dark green above and paler below, with irregularly coarse triangular teeth and often three to five shallow or more obvious lobes. The base may be shallowly heart-shaped or nearly squared off. Small rusty to red-brown hair tufts can occur where the main veins meet beneath the leaf. A comparatively small linden leaf with jagged teeth and frequent lobes is the strongest field mark.

Alberta range and habitat: Mongolian linden is native to parts of northern and central China, including Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. In its native range it occurs in mixed and deciduous mountain forests and on rocky sites and sand-dune margins.