Common Name: London Plane Tree
Scientific Name: Platanus X acerifolia
Family: Platanaceae
Origin: North America, Eastern Europe, Asia
This tree is a hybrid between American sycamore and oriental planetree. The tree tolerates urban pollution well and, therefore, it has been widely planted across Europe's urban landscape. The London plane tree is a large tree, growing to heights of around 75-100 feet. Branches tend to grow horizontally and the canopy has a round shape. The characteristics that separate this tree from its parents are the deeper sinuses in the leaves and the fruits being in pairs rather than solitary. The trees are monoecious and grow imperfect flowers, meaning that one tree contains both male and female organs, but in separate flowers. Female flowers appear red and male flowers appear yellow. Flowering occurs in April with brown spherical fruits (around 1 inch in diameter) ripening in October. Leaves are large (4-9 inches wide) with 3-5 lobes and coarse teeth at the margins.