I live across the street from a park with many of these trees. I've always just heard them called Lindens. They are very fragrant in late June and people often think it's the lilies in my garden they are smelling when really it is the trees. Most noticable in the evenings. They smell like vanilla to me. Then this time of the year they shed little brown dried leaves all over the place. Not sure if they are really leaves. Maybe flower pods? I was told they were brought to town by the Germans when they settled this area of town which was originally a dairy farm. They do get very large when old.
