The fragrant Linden Tree
This post is from June 20th, 2011 but, as the Linden Tree flowers once every year, I am reposting.– I noticed as I entered the park from the southeast yesterday, the smell was particularly distinct!
If you walk from the fountain east, at the intersection where a fork occurs in the road and the pathway veers south, there is a huge Linden tree. Right now, it’s flowering and the flowers emit the most beautiful smell. The flowers don’t last that long so check it out soon.
I was walking by and looking around for where the fragrance was coming from and then looked up and realized that tree is a Linden tree. I don’t know if there is more than one Linden tree in the park.
More on Linden Trees (genus: Tilia) from Wikipedia:
On healing: The flowers are used for herbal tea and tinctures; this kind of use is particularly popular in Europe and also used in North American herbal medicine practices.
In Germanic mythology: Originally, local communities assembled not only to celebrate and dance under a Tilia tree, but to hold their judicial thing (governing assembly) meetings there in order to restore justice and peace. It was believed that the tree would help unearth the truth.
Washington Square Park Blog 