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  6. Platanus x acerifolia

Platanus x acerifolia

Common names:  London plane tree  

Irish name:   Plána Londan 

Latin name:  Platanus x acerifolia 

Family:  Platanaceae 

Origin:   Non-native 

Tree type: Deciduous broadleaf tree 

How it Looks

Shape, bark, twigs 

The London plane tree typically grows as a single-trunk tree, reaching heights of up to 35 metres, with branches that extend horizontally, ultimately forming a rounded shape. The diameter of the trunk generally ranges from 3 to 8 feet. One of its most distinctive features is its brown bark, which peels away in irregular pieces to reveal a creamy white inner bark, creating a mottled appearance that helps with identification from a distance. The bark can vary in colour from olive green to grey and has large, scaly plates that flake off, exposing the creamy bark underneath. This can give the bark a camouflage appearance. This flakiness is caused by the tree’s ability to deal with pollution. Small, tiny pores called lenticles allow for gaseous exchange and once these become clogged with pollutants, the bark merely sheds them away. Young twigs are a green-brown colour. 

Buds  

The leaves of this tree are large, measuring 4-9 inches wide, with 3-5 lobes and coarse teeth along the edges. They are medium to dark green in colour. 

Leaves 

The leaves of this tree are large, measuring 4-9 inches wide, with 3-5 lobes and coarse teeth along the edges. They are medium to dark green. During the Autumn, the foliage usually changes to a yellow-brown hue, though it is not particularly striking. 

Flowers  

In April, the London plane tree produces small, inconspicuous flowers that appear in rounded clusters. As a monoecious species, both male and female flowers are present on the same tree, but they are found on separate stems. The male flowers are yellowish, whilst the female flowers are reddish, in colour. 

Fruits  

Female flowers develop into fuzzy, spherical fruiting balls, typically 3.5cm in diameter, which turn brown by October and remain until early winter. These fruiting balls appear in pairs and comprise many tightly packed, small seed-like fruits. As Autumn advances, the fruiting balls break apart, releasing their seeds, and are often carried away by the wind in downy tufts. 

Similar species  

It is thought that the London plane is a hybrid of the Oriental Plane and American Sycamore or Western Plane. Thus, London planes can resemble either of these species to a greater or lesser degree. 

Where to Find it

The London plane (Platanus × acerifolia) is very popular as an urban tree and is widely planted in London, other major European cities, and across North and South America, where it thrives in moderate climates.    

Cultural Importance

History | Art and Literature 

History 

It is believed that the London plane came into being as a spontaneous hybrid of the American sycamore from eastern America and the Oriental plane from southeast Europe in the mid 17th century. However, where this occurred still remains a mystery. One theory is that this cross-pollination occurred naturally in Spain. However, the other theory, one which is more popular in Britain, is that the hybrid developed in either the nursery of the botanist John Tradescant the Younger in Vauxhall, London or the Oxford Botanic Garden.  

Regardless of where the cross-pollination first occurred, the tree became popular amongst tree collectors throughout Britain, being very much a status symbol. It is thought that some of the first London planes to take root in Britain were those planted at Buckden in Cambridgeshire around 1660 for Robert Sanderson, the Bishop of Lincoln. Another early example includes the London plane at Ely in Cambridgeshire which, thought to have been a gift from King Charles II to Peter Gunning, Bishop of Ely, was planted around 1674 and still stands today. It is believed to be the largest London Plane in the UK and was included in the 50 Great British Trees list in 2002. More recently, as part of the conservation programme for the Ely Plane, it received a full tree health survey and cuttings were taken from the tree, which were then propagated and distributed to tree collections through the UK, including the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. 

The popularity of London plane spread throughout European cities during the 18th and 19th centuries, most especially in London (hence the name!) where it was widely planted in parks, gardens and along streets. The London planes that still line the street today at Embankment, London became symbolic of the modern city, inspired by the tree-lined avenues of Paris and Berlin. By the 1920s it was deemed the most common tree in London. It was valued as a street not only for its beauty and the shade it provided, but on account of its resistance to drought and smoke, the latter of which was in abundance during the industrial revolution. 

The appeal of the London Plane also spread to cities in North America and Australia during the 19th and 20th centuries. In Australia, the Plane tree was planted by European settlers during the 19th century in cities such as Melbourne and Victoria in order to lend a sense of familiarity to their new home. It is now a common feature of Australian cities. Similarly, London planes were extensively planted in New York in the 1930s to the degree that today, they account for 30% of New York’s tree canopy, and the leaf of the tree is the symbol for the city’s parks department. 

London planes were also planted along streets in Dublin, such as North Circular Road, Foster Place, College Green and Upper Sackville Street, during the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, specimens were planted in Irish gardens and aboreta, including the Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, Trinity College Dublin and at University College Cork (UCC). The latter can still be seen at UCC today 

Art and Literature 

The poem, a London Plane Tree, written by the English poet Amy Levy and published in 1889, describes the suitability of the London plane to an urban context, and how it stands out from surrounding trees in the way that it thrives despite the smoke and pollution of the city. 

Many have painted the London plane tree, including the Irish artist Gabhan Dunne who painted the work ‘London Plane’ in 1975 in response to the trees in the UCC arboretum. The painting can be seen at the Glucksman Gallery in Cork. More recently, 90 artists created and exhibited works based on the London plane at Ely in order to raise the £60,000 necessary to properly conserve the tree. 

Value to Wildlife

Although the London plane tree has limited wildlife associations, its seeds can be consumed by grey squirrels, and birds are known to use the tree for nesting. 

Threats

The London plane tree faces several threats including variable resistance to sycamore anthracnose. Diseases such as canker stain, which can be fatal, canker, leaf spot, and powdery mildew, are also concerns. Insect pests like borers, scale, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and mites can cause additional problems. 

Uses

The London plane tree is highly valued for its adaptability to urban environments and its resilience against pollution, which is why it is commonly planted as a street tree in major cities. Its wood has historically been sought after for veneers due to its appealing golden-brown colour with dark brown flecks. 

References

Irish Tree Explorers Network

Líonra Taiscéalaí Crainn na hÉireann

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