#ornamental tree

Salix Fragilis Bullata - Carin Bengts , 2020.

Finnish, b. 1946  -

They do, in fact, have big leaves. Bonus @purrdence at lower right.

And intriguing fruit.

AKA large-leaved lime, and broad-leaved lime, but not a citrus. It's actually in the Hibiscus family.

Flower photo by Warburg on Wikipedia.

First described by the Italian botanist and doctor Giovanni Antonio Scopoli (1723 – 1788), and named from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root *ptel-eiā, meaning 'broad', via the Greek ptelea, meaning Elm tree. It's unrelated to the Elms, too. Since 'platyphyllos' (also Greek) means 'Broad-leaved' the name is 'Broad-leaved Broadleaf' the Bigleaved Linden.

Native to much of continental Europe, and parts of Britain, but naturalised over a wider area and a popular street tree. Since it is also good fodder, and the inner layer of the bark is a source of plant fiber, the species was probably spread widely by humans even before we needed some green in our cities. It prefers alkaline soil.

Fossils of the species date back at least 5 million years.

Tilia (AKA basswood in North America) is the only known ectomycorrhizal genus in the family Malvaceae.