Plants with heart-shaped leaves can not only help spread the love, but can look beautiful as potted houseplants in your home or growing in your garden borders.
If you desire heart-shaped foliage then this guide is just for you – we share twenty-five plants that each have unique leaves that will each add a touch of romance to your home or garden.
Leaves come in all sorts of shapes and sizes but few capture the imagination quite like the heart. Trees with heart-shaped leaves can add a touch of beauty and romance to any landscape. Let’s explore some of the best-loved British trees with cordate, lobed foliage that will fill your heart with joy.
What Causes Heart-Shaped Tree Leaves?
The development of a heart-shaped leaf is controlled genetically. Growth hormones influence the leaf margin’s shape as the cells expand. A heart leaf forms when expansion lags between the lobes, creating indentations around a central lobe. The leaf’s venation patterns also direct the final shape.
Heart-shaped leaves go by the botanical term “cordate.” The indentation where the two lobes meet is known as the leaf’s “sinus.” Some leaves have a deep sinus, nearly dividing the leaf, while others have just a subtle heart shape.
Both broadleaf and conifer trees can develop heart-shaped leaves. Typically trees with heart-shaped leaves are deciduous losing their foliage in autumn. But a few heart-leaved trees are evergreens.
Small-Leaved Limes
The two British native lime trees are excellent examples of trees with heart-shaped leaves. They include:
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Small-leaved lime: A large, dome-shaped tree growing over 20m tall. It has elegant, heart-shaped green leaves just 5-8cm long. The foliage turns yellow in autumn.
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Large-leaved lime: Also called the summer lime, this species has broader, thicker heart-shaped leaves reaching 13cm long. It grows into a tall, pyramidal tree.
Both small-leaved and large-leaved limes produce dense clusters of fragrant creamy-yellow flowers in summer loved by pollinating insects. Their bark is grey, fissured, and flattened into ridges.
Common Lime
More commonly seen in parks and gardens is the common lime hybrid (Tilia × europaea). It combines traits from the small-leaved and large-leaved parent trees.
With heart-shaped, deep green leaves and grey bark, common lime makes an excellent shade tree. Its scented yellow-white flowers also attract bees and other pollinators.
Katsura Tree
The katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) is named for its showy, foxglove-like purple flowers blooming in spring. But it also bears large, downy, heart-shaped leaves up to 30cm across that emerge bronze before turning green.
Native to China, this handsome deciduous tree can reach 15m tall. Its foliage turns golden yellow in autumn. Its timbers are also valued in woodworking.
Heart-Leaved Philodendron
Houseplant lovers can enjoy heart-shaped leaves year-round with philodendron. Heart-leaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens) has lush, deep green, glossy leaves up to 30cm long shaped like hearts.
Native to Brazil’s tropical rainforests, philodendron thrives as a low-maintenance houseplant. It can also be grown outside in mild climates. Let its trailing stems spill from a hanging basket to show off its leaf shapes.
Growing Trees With Heart-Shaped Leaves
Here are some tips for growing success with cordate-leaved trees:
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Most prefer moist, well-draining fertile soil. Amend clay or sandy soils before planting.
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Site in full sun to partial shade depending on the species. Shelter from strong winds.
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Water young trees regularly until their root systems establish. Then normal rainfall should suffice.
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Stake young trees until they develop sturdy trunks and root systems.
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Prune cross-over, damaged, or congested branches for good structure.
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Control pests like scale, mites, or aphids that may affect some heart-leaved trees.
When choosing a site, give heart-shaped trees plenty of room to spread and show their beautiful foliage. With proper care, they will bring romance and grace to your landscape for years to come.
Other Plants With Heart-Shaped Leaves
Beyond trees, many other plants bear cordate foliage that can add charm to your home and garden:
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Dutchman’s Pipe Vine: A climbing vine with large, 10-inch heart-shaped leaves.
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Redbud ‘Hearts of Gold’: A redbud tree cultivar with golden heart-shaped leaves.
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Creeping Oxalis: A low-growing perennial with clover-like leaves.
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Siberian Bugloss ‘Jack Frost’: Variegated heart leaves with silver and green.
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Hostas: Shade garden perennials, some with white-rimmed, heart-shaped foliage.
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Anthurium: Houseplant with glossy, heart-shaped leaves and flowers.
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Philodendrons: Tropical houseplants like the pink princess philodendron.
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Caladium: Vibrant heart-shaped tropical foliage.
The Alluring Charm of Heart-Shaped Leaves
Trees and plants with heart-shaped leaves always make distinctive additions to any natural space. Their unique symmetry and style capture the imagination.
The next time you’re looking to add something special to your garden, consider one of nature’s cordate treasures. From dainty lime tree leaves to the bold foliage of katsura and philodendron, heart-shaped greenery pumps love into every landscape.
Heart-Leaved Philodendron
- BOTANICAL NAME: Philodendron scandens
- HARDINESS RATING: H1B
- PLANT TYPE: shrub / climber / houseplant
- FOLIAGE: evergreen
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer
A popular houseplant, the heart-leaf philodendron is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 4m in height.
It is mostly grown for its large, heart-shaped leaves that are mainly green in colour but can also be variegated or spotted with white and yellow.
Philodendrons are very easy to care for and will only need to be watered when the soil is left to completely dry out.
1 Heart Fern
- BOTANICAL NAME: Hemionitis arifolia
- HARDINESS RATING: H1C
- PLANT TYPE: fern
- FOLIAGE: evergreen
This frost-tender fern is most commonly grown as a houseplant and produces slender leaves that look great in any indoor display.
Grow Hemionitis arifolia in a loam-based medium with an acidic pH for the best results, and make sure it is out of direct sunlight as too much sun can scorch the surface of its leaves.
Make a tree with heart-shaped leaves – a creative project for all ages
FAQ
What British tree has heart-shaped leaves?
Small- and large-leaved lime trees
Our two native species are small-leaved lime and large-leaved lime, but they’re both quite unusual and we more often come across a nursery hybrid of the two, known as common lime. They all have grey bark and heart-shaped leaves.
What is the tree with heart-shaped leaves called?
Lindens, also known as basswoods, are highly prized ornamental trees with heart-shaped leaves with fine teeth on the leaf margins, uneven bases and fragrant yellow flowers. In winter, the twigs have distinct leaf buds at the tips that are reddish brown and shaped like slightly asymmetrical pointy eggs.
What is a European tree with heart shaped leaves?
Italian alder (Alnus cordata) is a medium to large tree that hails from Europe, in Corsica and southern Italy. Catkins appear before the glossy, heart-shaped leaves in early spring.
What is a Japanese heart shaped leaf tree?
Cercidiphyllum japonicum – Katsura. Cercidiphyllum japonicum is a beautiful tree which can grow to more than 30m in its native Japan and China, however in Britain plants rarely reach more than 15m. It has a rounded conical crown and attractive heart shaped leaves in opposite pairs.
Which trees have heart shaped leaves?
Both broadleaf and conifer trees can develop heart-shaped leaves. Typically, trees with heart-shaped leaves are deciduous, losing their foliage in autumn. But a few heart-leaved trees are evergreens. The two British native lime trees are excellent examples of trees with heart-shaped leaves They include
What is a heart shaped tree used for?
Trees with heart-shaped leaves can be used as focal points, planted along property lines for privacy, or added to mixed borders for visual interest. Their attractive foliage, flowers, and bark can enhance the beauty of gardens and landscapes throughout the year. Are trees with heart-shaped leaves resistant to pests and diseases?
Are heart shaped trees evergreen?
The heart-shaped leaves are evergreen in tropical climates. This classic flowering tree of spring is easy to identify. Its branches are studded with small, rosey-pink flowers before the first leaves appear. Once the leaves take over, the tree remains attractive, as this heart-shaped foliage maintains a dark green color throughout summer.
Are heart shaped leaves good for trees?
While some trees with heart-shaped leaves may be more resistant to pests and diseases than others, no tree is completely immune. Regular monitoring and proper care can help maintain the health and vitality of your trees. Can I grow trees with heart-shaped leaves in different climate zones?
What does a heart shaped tree look like?
Many trees have leafy foliage resembling the traditional shape of a heart. The leaves are triangularly shaped with a rounded base, indented at the center. The other end of the leaf tapers to an apex. Heart-shaped tree leaves can be cordate or obcordate, depending on which end has the petiole.
What is a heart shaped leaf?
The heart-shaped leaves are simple leaves that grow alternately on brown to reddish-brown twigs. The leaf is egg-shaped with a tapering apex, finely-toothed margin, and cordate base. They have a dark green upper surface, lighter underside, and fine hairs along the vein axils.