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Spent some time today getting to know Tilia cordata aka littleleaf linden. Just love its sweet, honeyed scent that’s perfuming the entire neighborhood right now. Learned that it is a nervine herb that can be dried and brewed in tea. Observed that linden trees in full sun right now are in their peak or past-peak bloom, while trees that receive mostly shade have yet to bloom.

Also learned (as I set off with my little bucket to collect the yellow buds for exactly this purpose) that the tree harbors TONS of aphids - those are the small green insects that cover my picnic blanket every time I sit underneath the tree. Harmless to humans but highly unappetizing. I decided to unfortunately abandon this urban foraging effort.