Silver linden

Silver linden is one of four linden species approved for planting on New York City streets. Lindens begin to sport fragrant flowers after many other trees have finished blooming, and mass bumblebee deaths have been observed beneath Silver linden, in particular. Several reasons for this have been proposed over the years: that its nectar is toxic to certain bees; seasonal starvation; the presence of manmade pesticides. Recent studies suggest that it’s a more complex problem, in which a compound in the nectar with pharmacological effects may encourage bees to continue to forage on depleted blossoms, even as temperatures drop, until they simply fall from flight and die.

This particular linden was one of three trees planted by film director Spike Lee after he removed a nearby tree to shoot his film “Clockers.”