Welcome to the Common Lime Tree
Family Activity
- What season are we in now? When do leaves appear on our deciduous trees? Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the autumn when the days get shorter, & grow them again in the springtime.
- Can you see any leaves on this common lime tree? What shape do they remind you of? Common lime leaves are heart-shaped with a pointy tip! In winter little buds will be on the tree. Look to see if you can see smooth shiny red buds & twigs which are reddish brown & shiny in the sunlight.
- Seeds of the common lime hang down in little clusters of small green balls & are blown by the wind. What time of year do seeds appear?
- When seeds reach the earth they sink into the soil for winter & wait for spring sunshine to warm the earth. Imagine you are a little seed down in the earth with a protective coat (shell) on to keep you warm & protected from the cold.
- When the sun begins to warm the soil in springtime, & the days are longer break out of your shell & push up through the earth. Grow a little seedling towards the light. Have you got enough space to grow? Have you got all the nutrients you need in the soil? What about water & light – do you have those?
- Keep growing with your leaves spreading & your branches reaching up towards the light!
Photographs © Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project.