Foraging Manchester: The Linden Tree

Editors Note – This article is part of a new series, Foraging Manchester, which will investigate all of the good stuff to eat growing around us. If you are not familiar with a plant, consult an edible plant guide and/or an expert before you eat it. These articles are intended to introduce these edibles but not to be used as the sole source for identifying them.

Linden leaves on a cheese sandwich make a yummy substitute for lettuce.

Lettuce does grow on trees..the linden tree. Also known as the basswood or the lime tree (coming from latin word limus meaning mud, not related the citrus lime whose name comes from the arabic word limah), it’s scientific name is Tilia americana.  The linden tree is a medium to large deciduous tree native to all of Michigan and commonly planted along streets in towns and cities. Although not lettuce, exactly, it is one of the few trees in Michigan whose leaves are edible and delicious.

Linden trees are pretty easy to identify because they have a very distinctive leaf. See photos below. The leaves are cordate in shape (upside down heart), the margins are serrated (edges are toothed like a saw blade) and most uniquely, they are asymmetrical. Linden leaves are unequal at their bases with the bottom lobe larger on one side than the other.

When the leaves are new and small still, they are glossy and very thin. These leaves are the absolute tastiest, although even thicker, mature leaves can be eaten. Linden leaves are slightly mucilaginous but can be used as a great lettuce substitute in salads or sandwiches. Some people even cook them as a green, but, like lettuce, they don’t hold up well to cooking.

An easy linden tree to locate in Manchester is one on Washington St, near the corner of Main, across the sidewalk from the northern half of Wurster park. I am not suggesting that you forage leaves from this tree belonging to the village. I am suggesting that this tree can provide an excellent reference to use in trying to identify other linden trees for yourself.

Lindens are large trees, full of leaves, and can provide a perennial food source which requires very little work to maintain. The trees leaf out early in spring before many greens are up in the garden (or possibly before they are even planted.) The period between when the food stored for winter runs out and the spring vegetables are ready was traditionally known as “the hunger gap”. Linden leaves are the perfect hunger gap salad green. Many parts of the linden other than the leaves are edible too, including the flowers, which are used to make a well-known tea. But that is another article…

For more information, visit this good linden identification site  and/or this site about foraging linden and all of it’s other edible parts. Remember, always be sure of your identification, wash what you have foraged before you eat it and just like with any food be aware that a small number of people may have an allergic reaction to it.

The linden tree on Washington St. Small branches grow out of it’s trunk providing an easy to see bunch of leaves for investigating.

Manchester Family Medicine (green church) is the background, across Washington St. from this linden.

A linden leaf, in all of it’s asymmetrical glory.

My foraging buddy.

Cheese and linden leaf sandwich with mustard and mayo.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.