London Plane
Platanus x acerifolia
Learn about the London planetree including when and why it was planted, how to identify it, and where to find it on campus.
Tree Facts
Family: Plantaceae
Type
Deciduous
Size
Large (greater than 50 feet)
Traits
- Broad, rounded canopy.
- Maple-shaped leaves that turn yellow in the fall.
- Peeling bark that reveals a whiteish gray trunk.
- Round and prickly fruit.
Native Range
- Central China, southern Japan, and northern India
Story of the Tree
There is a row of London planetrees in Heritage Park along the eastern side of Capitol Lake.
This tree is a cross between the native sycamore and the non-native Asian planetree.
It is a very tough tree for urban settings where there is room for its large size.
The tree can tolerate severe pruning and is often pruned formally to create allées along city streets.
The tree can be susceptible to leaf anthracnose disease
