Linden i Jonsboda

The Linden of Jonsboda: The Tree That Gave Linnaeus His Name

Contrary to popular belief, the famous botanist Carl von Linné, also known as Carl Linnaeus, did not receive his surname from the delicate forest flower Linnea borealis (often simply called linnea). Instead, his surname has its roots in the older Swedish word for linden tree, “linn.” A particular linden tree in Jonsboda, Småland, played a significant role in shaping the identity and legacy of the Linnaeus family—a story that sheds new light on the origins of one of Sweden’s most enduring scientific names [read more (Swedish)].

The Origin Story: A Family Name Inspired by a Tree

The story dates back to Carl Linnaeus’s father, Nils Ingemarsson, who was born in 1674 in Jonsboda in Vittaryd parish, Småland. As a theology student in Växjö, Nils adopted the Latinized surname "Nicolaus Linnaeus" after a prominent linden tree (Swedish: “linn”) that grew in a "stenrösja"—a stone heap—on the boundary between his father's farm and the neighboring property, Lindhult. The significance of this tree extended beyond the Linnaeus line: two other brothers from Jonsboda adopted the name Lindelius, and other relatives took the name Tiliander—all inspired by the very same linden. Interestingly, all these family lines have since died out in the male lineage.

Memories and Myths of the Jonsboda Linden

The remarkable linden left a lasting impression on those who knew it. In a letter from 1778, Linnaeus's brother Samuel described the Jonsboda linden as “the largest I have seen; indeed, I have scarcely seen a greater tree than this, which has been named the 'free-tree'.” He also noted a local superstition: “Every branch that falls from it is thrown to the base of the tree, as it is considered dangerous to move, through which the linden is fertilized and becomes very vigorous.”

Before 1778, one of the great tree’s trunks had already fallen, and by 1823, the entire tree had collapsed. Yet from its roots, numerous new shoots grew, many developing into robust new trunks. Remarkably, material from this historic Jonsboda linden was taken and propagated at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Alnarp by research leader Rune Bengtsson in 2005.

The Legacy of the Linden

The linden’s legacy lives on in more ways than one. In 2007, marking the 300th anniversary of Carl Linnaeus’s birth, a specimen from the Jonsboda linden was gifted to Their Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan during the grand Linnaeus celebration at Uppsala University. Another specimen was set to be presented to HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden later that year during the annual Alnarps Day at SLU in Alnarp, as part of her inauguration of the Scania Linnaeus Week—a collaborative event with Region Skåne, the County Administrative Board, Lund University, and SLU.

Linnaeus's Enduring Influence

Through both tradition and botanical legacy, the Jonsboda linden continues to connect generations and continents, reflecting Carl von Linné's profound impact on science and culture. Today, Linnaeus is remembered as the "father of modern taxonomy," the creator of the binomial nomenclature for classifying organisms—a system still in use worldwide. Upon his ennoblement in 1761, he changed his name from Carl Linnaeus to Carl von Linné, further cementing the linden’s place in history.

For related reading, see also: Trädgårdsingenjörsstudenter i Polen

Sources: Linden i Jonsboda - trädet som gav namnet Linneaus at Odla.nu, SLU.