Platanus x acerifolia
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Platanus × hispanica
- Phonetic Spelling
- PLAT-an-us ay-ser-ih-FOH-lee-a
- Description
-
London Plane Tree is a hybrid of American Sycamore and Oriental Planetree. It is a large shade tree in the Platanaceae family. It prefers rich medium to wet well-drained soils in full sun but tolerates urban pollution, clay soil, light shade and deer. The form is a rounded crown with horizontal branching.
The striking feature of this tree is its brown bark which exfoliates in irregular pieces to reveal a mottled creamy white inner bark. Female flowers give way to brown, fuzzy, long-stalked, spherical fruit balls. Balls ripen in October into early winter.
It is widely used in urban areas as a street tree and will do well in large yards or parks as a shade tree. It is considered a high maintenance tree with twig, leaves, bark, and fruiting body litter.
Problem insects include borers, scale, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and mites. Is prone to canker stain and sycamore anthracnose ('Columbia' and 'Liberty' are more disease resistant). Canker, leaf spot, and powdery mildew may also occur.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Bloodgood'
60 ft tall, breed for anthracnose resistance. - 'Columbia'
Disease resistant, 50 ft tall - 'Liberty'
Disease resistant, 50 ft tall - 'Metzam'
70 ft tall, pyramidal shape, disease resistant - 'Morton Circle'
Pyramindal, strong central leader, vigorous constitution. - 'Ovation'
More broadly pyramidal to rounded habit. - 'Yarwood'
Disease resistant. pyramidal habit
- 'Bloodgood'
- 'Bloodgood', 'Columbia', 'Liberty', 'Metzam', 'Morton Circle', 'Ovation', 'Yarwood'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bloodgood'
60 ft tall, breed for anthracnose resistance. - 'Columbia'
Disease resistant, 50 ft tall - 'Liberty'
Disease resistant, 50 ft tall - 'Metzam'
70 ft tall, pyramidal shape, disease resistant - 'Morton Circle'
Pyramindal, strong central leader, vigorous constitution. - 'Ovation'
More broadly pyramidal to rounded habit. - 'Yarwood'
Disease resistant. pyramidal habit
- 'Bloodgood'
- 'Bloodgood', 'Columbia', 'Liberty', 'Metzam', 'Morton Circle', 'Ovation', 'Yarwood'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Platanus
- Species:
- occidentalis × orientalis
- Family:
- Platanaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- London, Europe
- Dimensions:
- Height: 75 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 60 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Horizontal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Fruiting balls in clusters of 2-3. Consists of numerous, densely-packed achenes. Balls disintegrate, spreading their many seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Male flowers are yellowish and females are reddish in clusters in spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The large 3-5 lobed medium to dark green leaves are maple-shaped, alternate, simple and 6-7 inches long and 7-10 inches wide. Margins have a few coarse teeth.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Bark Description:
- Brown bark exfoliates in irregular pieces revealing creamy white inner bark.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Scales:
- Enclosed in a single cap like scale
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Recreational Play Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Messy
