Łódź, Botanical Garden

It is native to eastern North America. Important bees feeding plant. Edible plant - young leaves raw; chocolate substitute can be made from a paste of the ground-up flowers and immature fruit; herb tea is made from the flowers. Herbal plant - a charcoal made from the wood is used in the treatment of gastric or dyspeptic disturbances and is also made into a powder then applied to burns or sore places; lime flower tea is also used internally in the treatment of indigestion, hypertension, hardening of the arteries, hysteria, nervous vomiting or palpitation; fresh or dried flowers is antispasmodic, diaphoretic, expectorant, hypotensive, laxative and sedative; a poultice of the leaves has been used in the treatment of burns and scalds, broken bones and swollen area; a tea or tincture made from the leaves, flowers and buds has traditionally been used for nervous headaches, restlessness and painful digestion. Useful plant - fibre from the inner bark is used to make mats, shoes, baskets, ropes, etc.