There must be several varieties of linden around, because I caught a delicious whiff of their perfume the other night, walking with Constanza to catch a cab to Al di La. That tree's fluffy little flowers were open, but this one's, on Congress below Clinton, are not. There is not yet that pervasive perfume in the air, but I think that within a week or so we will reach the saturation-stage. I can't wait.Saturday, June 14, 2008
New York Summer: Linden
There must be several varieties of linden around, because I caught a delicious whiff of their perfume the other night, walking with Constanza to catch a cab to Al di La. That tree's fluffy little flowers were open, but this one's, on Congress below Clinton, are not. There is not yet that pervasive perfume in the air, but I think that within a week or so we will reach the saturation-stage. I can't wait.
O my yes, lindens on our streets and parks come in these fine flavors: littleleaf, bigleaf, silver, & American (aka basswood). Over the ocean blue, they call them lime trees. The flowers are a major bee food, and make a fine honey.
ReplyDeleteYes, I could never understand, before I knew about linden trees, and their other names, how "avenues of limes" could possibly grow in Russia (Tolstoy, etc) - thinking of the citrus, I accepted it as a weird, happy puzzle.
ReplyDeleteApparently they make bumblebees sick?