What happened? Well, some limes have these masses of twigs, mostly around the lower parts of the trunk, but in this case they are high up. They might have been lower down too, but it looks like branches have been cut off down there. It’s actually only the common lime (Tilia x europaea) that produces these dark masses of twigs. Small-leaved and large-leaved limes (T. cordata and T. platyphyllos) don’t. Common lime, the commonest lime in Britain, is a hybrid between small-leaved and large-leaved limes.

Details: Coloured pencil; 2010; 30 cm x 21 cm. Unframed: original £100; print £30.

Included in the gallery Trees 1