JBUC creates traditions from lime blossom
In December, the UC Botanical Garden offers lime blossom tea bags to University staff to warm both body and soul.
It all began a few decades ago, when the gardeners of the University of Coimbra Botanical Garden (JBUC) began collecting lime blossom to give to family and friends. Building on this tradition, JBUC later extended the practice to staff members of the University of Coimbra (UC). The purpose? To make tea — or rather, an infusion.
“We found the idea so delightful [the gardeners’ collection of lime blossom] that we decided to extend it and offer lime blossom tea — in fact, a lime tisane — to colleagues and staff across the University,” explains Joana Cabral Oliveira, head of JBUC’s education and communication service.
The offering takes place in December, although the process begins several months earlier. Silver lime trees have particularly aromatic flowers, which are harvested between late spring and early summer.
After the flowers and bracts have been collected and dried, University of Coimbra students step in as volunteers.
This year, some of the volunteers included Ahmet Ağirman, Ana Beatriz Dias, Inês Abrantes, Inês Amaro and Pedro Silva. With enthusiasm and a strong spirit of mutual support, the young volunteers separate the lime flowers and bracts and prepare small bundles, which are then placed into numerous bags.
Volunteer Inês Abrantes comments: “It’s an outdoor activity, and since I spend so much time indoors working on my projects, I think it’s really good to get out of the house and be with other people.”
Now in its third year, offering these small tea bags continues to be a thoughtful gesture, warmly received by the UC community.
About lime trees
- Lime trees: Typically, tall trees that can reach 25–30 metres in height. They have broad, leafy canopies and produce flowers, leaves, fruit and timber.
- Origin of lime trees: The Americas, Asia and Europe.
- Presence of lime trees in Portugal: Silver lime (Tilia tomentosa), small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos), American lime (Tilia americana), and European or common lime (Tilia × vulgaris), a hybrid resulting from the crossing of two species (T. cordata and T. platyphyllos).
- Reasons for planting in Portugal: Mainly to provide shade along avenues and in gardens.
- Did you know? Lime wood is used in the manufacture of musical instruments.
Source: florestas.pt