Why Plant Sterling Silver® Linden?
Sterling Silver Linden is a tough, easy-to-grow medium to large-sized tree that will give you a cool and shady spot to put a picnic table, a pair of adirondacks, or a lounge chair. On breezy days, you’ll look up and see its silver-backed leaves dancing and shimmering in the sunlight, and in early summer, you’ll inhale the sweet scent of its cream-colored flowers. You can also plant this handsome shade tree along your property line for a seasonal privacy screen that will be appreciated from both sides of the fence.
Although there are Lindens native to the U.S., this tree belongs to a European/Middle Eastern species of Linden that was brought to this country in colonial times. The late Willet “Bill” Wandell of Illinois—the same nurseryman who introduced the Autumn Brilliance® Serviceberry—gave us this selection in 1986. Sterling Silver stood out from a batch of seedlings he purchased in 1957, the parentage of which was unclear. An office fire in 1979 destroyed the records that would have revealed the seed source of the crop that produced this superior tree.
How to use Sterling Silver® Linden in the landscape?
Put some "bling" in your garden! Silvery foliage emerges in spring with blue-silver undersides. This fast growing tree has an upright growth habit and produces fragrant cream colored flowers in late spring/early summer. An excellent choice for a shade tree, lawn tree, street tree - even in city plantings.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 4-7
How To Plant Sterling Silver® Linden
Lindens’ only real drawback is that their leaves are a favored food of Japanese beetles, which will eat the leaves down to the veins, or “skeletonize” them. Sterling Silver is less susceptible than most Lindens—perhaps because the undersides of the leaves are so fuzzy (how would you like to chew through leaf-fuzz?). Lindens are in other respects “Wonder Trees,” growing without complaint in urban areas, despite having to contend with pollution, hard-packed soils, and small planting holes. Sterling Silver has a medium growth rate and hardly ever needs pruning.
How To Prune
Sterling Silver Lindens hardly ever need pruning work done, but if needed, it is best to do so in late winter to early spring.
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
