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Tilia cordata (Tiliaceae)

This monumental lime tree stands alone in the square of the Montesanto convent, on a hill west of Todi, in the area of Fornetto.

On that very hill, once called Monte Mascarano (from the Lombard term “Maska” which means “spirits” or “witches”, hence the “mountain of the witches”), a medieval fortress used to defend Todi from the rival city of Orvieto. In 1835, during some excavations, a bronze statue of “Mars of Todi” was found: it is now exhibited inside the Vatican Museums.

Nuns (from the convent of San Damiano in Assisi) were the first to stay in the convent, which later passed to the Franciscan friars.
According to the tradition, the majestic lime tree was planted by the residents of Todi, to commemorate the preaching of Saint Bernardino da Siena in their city.
The lime tree has a 18.7-ft circumference and is some 590 years old.

How to get there:

From Todi, go up for 1.2 miles to the convent on the left of the road.

Botanical Card:

Linden species is extremely abundant in Europe. In Italy, it is scattered throughout the southern regions, as it needs the typical continental climate. It prefers deep, fresh soils rich in sweet humus from carbon rocks.
It is a sciaphilic species that can withstand summer dryness and big temperature changes; nonetheless, it requires a good degree of humidity both in the air and in the soil.

Linden trees tend to live together with other species such as oaks, maples, ashes, hornbeams, Turkey oaks and not infrequently with beeches and white firs. Linden trees are never found alone in a wood or a forest.

Bees love its flowers, producing very sweet honey.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)