Linden heart-shaped (small-leaved)

Tilia cordata Mill.

Botanical characteristics. The family is fake. A beautiful tree up to 28 m high with a branchy crown and a yellow-gray bark. Leaves are cordate, long-petioled, yellow-green in color, below - lighter. Flowers are light yellow, fragrant, collected in inflorescences-semi-zootech. Blossoms in June-July. Fruit is a single-seeded nut, ripens in July-August.

Spread. It is fairly widespread in the European part of the country, in the Urals, in Western Siberia, in the mountains of the Caucasus. Prefers fertile soils.

Used parts of the plant. Inflorescences (linden color), bark, wood (lime coal).
In the inflorescences of the lime, glycoside is found: tiliacin, flavone glycoside, tannins, saponins, mucus, vitamins, sugars and wax.
A pleasant specific smell of lime is caused by essential oil, consisting mainly of sesquiterpene aliphatic alcohol farnesol. In lime color there is a specific glycoside, which has a diaphoretic effect.

Application. Infusion of lime color acts soothingly on the nervous system, has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diaphoretic, expectorant action.
It is used for neuroses, for colds of the respiratory tract, for tonsillitis, for influenza. As a diuretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory it is recommended for pyelonephritis and cystitis, with rheumatism, gout, spasms of the stomach and intestines, with renal and gallstone colic, with inflammation of the female sexual sphere.
Ancient herbalists report that the lime flower is useful for hypochondriacs and people prone to shock, tincture of lime color cured "chronic fall sickness".
Lime sapwood (the second layer of bark, giving the mucus), taking it inside, treated for consumption and diathesis, burned with this broth, made compresses on swollen joints during gout attacks, applied to sharply painful hemorrhoids.
Lime juice, collected in the spring at the beginning of sap flow, was given to children suffering from seizures.
Often, lime flowers are used to wash the head with hair loss, like rinsing with inflammatory processes of the oral cavity and throat, for aromatic baths, as lotions and poultices for the breast, ulcers, burns, hemorrhoids, joint pains.
Lime charcoal is used for poisoning, flatulence and diarrhea.

Preparation. Infusion is prepared at the rate of 2-3 table spoons for 2 cups of boiling water. Is taken internally.
For outdoor use insist 4-5 tablespoons with 2 cups of boiling water.