Native to south-east Europe and Asia Minor, silver lime is one of four European lime species. It prefers woodland with dry rich soils, where it grows into a stiffly erect smooth-trunked tree, with a regular mound-shaped crown. Flowers are in clusters of 5-10, fruits 6-8mm (ca.0.3in.) in diameter and egg-shaped, faintly ribbed. A feature special to this species is the star-shaped, grey to almost white close-growing hairiness on the lower surface of the leaves and on young shoots. In wind, the leaves flutter to reveal in turn their dark green upper and silvery under surfaces.
Silver lime is used in Europe and North America in parks and gardens, but it has been little used in Finnish cities as it would be hardy only in the very south.
Silver limes dating from the 1920s can be found at Mustila at the western end of Etelärinne (or Southern slope).