What is this tree? Please help me identify this tree

Question

We have multiple of this tree growing on my college campus and I cannot figure out what type of tree it is. I've never seen anything like it. It has a light green leaf that always grows on top of a darker green one with a flower/fruit forming on top of that. Thanks for your help!

Where in the world the tree is helps. And a close-up of the leaf too — kevinskio, May 13 '16 at 09:44

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:42

This is a member of the linden family, or Tilia. This tree is probably Tilia Cordata or the little leaf linden which is native from Europe to western Asia.

A favourite with landscape architects in Europe in the 17th and 18th century and in North America from 1950 to the late 1970's due to the sweet smelling flowers and modest size when mature (~65' 20M) this tree is no longer planted widely due to these issues:

significant litter problem, something is always dropping year round
subject to aphids who excrete sticky sap on vehicles nearby
attractive to bees and yellow jacket wasps
not very tolerant of drought which results in leaf scorch
tendency to have multiple leaders which can produce split trunks
japanese beetles can completely defoliate the tree in a bad year

The North American tilia, the basswood, is a better choice for some locations if you have moister soil.

Beautiful tree tho. Please don't cut it down – Michel Feldheim Jul 19 '17 at 08:25 — Michel Feldheim, Jul 19 '17 at 08:25

What is this tree? Please help me identify this tree

1 Answers1

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