Plantanus x acerafolia

Platanus × acerifolia, common name London plane, is a tree in the genus Platanus. It is usually thought to be a hybrid of Platanus orientalis (oriental plane) and Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore). Platanus × acerifolia is a large deciduous tree growing 20–30 m, tall, with a trunk up to 3 m or more in circumference. The bark is usually pale grey-green, smooth and exfoliating, or buff-brown and not exfoliating. The leaves are thick and stiff-textured, broad, palmately lobed, superficially maple-like, the leaf blade 10–20 cm long and 12–25 cm broad, with a petiole 3–10 cm long. The young leaves in spring are coated with minute, fine, stiff hairs at first, but these wear off and by late summer the leaves are hairless or nearly so. The flowers are borne in one to three (most often two) dense spherical inflorescences on a pendulous stem, with male and female flowers on separate stems. The fruit matures in about 6 months, to 2–3 cm diameter, and comprises a dense spherical cluster of achenes with numerous stiff hairs which aid wind dispersal; the cluster breaks up slowly over the winter to release the numerous 2–3 mm seeds. The London Plane is one of the most efficient trees in removing small particulate pollutants in urban areas. The species was formed by hybridization in the 17th century after P. orientalis and P. occidentalis had been planted in proximity to one another. It is often said that the hybridization took place in Spain, but it could also have happened in Vauxhall Gardens in London where John Tradescant the Younger discovered the tree in the mid-17th century. The leaf and flower characteristics are intermediate between the two parent species, the leaf being more deeply lobed than P. occidentalis but less so than P. orientalis, and the seed balls typically two per stem (one in P. occidentalis, 3–6 in P. orientalis). The hybrid is fertile, and seedlings are occasionally found near mature trees. Controlled reciprocal pollinations between P. occidentalis and P. orientalis resulted in good yields of germinable seed and true hybrid seedlings. The London plane is very tolerant of atmospheric pollution and root compaction, and for this reason it is a popular urban roadside tree. It was planted extensively in Victorian times to weather the pollution of London. It is now extensively cultivated in most temperate latitudes as an ornamental and parkland tree and is a commonly planted tree in cities throughout the temperate regions of the world, in London and many other cities. It has a greater degree of winter cold tolerance than P. orientalis and is less susceptible to anthracnose disease than P. occidentalis. Under the synonym Platanus × hispanica, the tree has gained the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain's Award of Garden Merit. Find a Google map of the tree locations here

110.00 Location C7  Latitude; -38.402334894235 Longitude; 146.053897642955 This is our National Trust registered tree T11950, and is an original Moss nursery specimen. Link to the National Trust listing here

110.01 Location C8 Latitude; -38.402238307270 Longitude; 146.054623685050 Planted in 1992.

110.02 Location C9 Latitude; -38.402117940842 Longitude; 146.054892973646 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.03 Location C10 Latitude; -38.402153801254 Longitude; 146.055373554276 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.04 Location D9 Latitude; -38.402543178806 Longitude; 146.055223056839 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.05 Location D9 Latitude; -38.402686414128 Longitude; 146.054739291157 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.06 Location E8 Latitude; -38.402869000000 Longitude; 146.054283000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.07 Location F7 Latitude; -38.403064000000 Longitude; 146.053870000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.08 Location E7 Latitude; -38.403249680000 Longitude; 146.053792310000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.09 Location F8 Latitude; -38.403503010000 Longitude; 146.054140870000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.10 Location F9 Latitude; -38.403465000000 Longitude; 146.054717000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.11 Location F9 Latitude; -38.403528000000 Longitude; 146.054897000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.12 Location G8 Latitude; -38.403798000000 Longitude; 146.054541000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.13 Location G7 Latitude; -38.403861000000 Longitude; 146.053878000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.14 Location F7 Latitude; -38.403412000000 Longitude; 146.053666000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.15 Location F6 Latitude; -38.403143670000 Longitude; 146.053283670000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.16 Location E5 Latitude; -38.403073000000 Longitude; 146.052931000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.17 Location E5 Latitude; -38.402900094451 Longitude; 146.052513694126 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.18 Location D4 Latitude; -38.402658326824 Longitude; 146.052087172144 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.19 Location C3 Latitude; -38.402316711483 Longitude; 146.051469689363 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.20 Location D2 Latitude; -38.402397000000 Longitude; 146.050990000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.21 Location B1 Latitude; -38.401972000000 Longitude; 146.050835000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.22 Location B1 Latitude; -38.401782000000 Longitude; 146.050681000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.23 Location B2 Latitude; -38.401592000000 Longitude; 146.050888000000 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.24 Location C4 Latitude; -38.402034807936 Longitude; 146.052230073202 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.25 Location A8 Latitude; -38.401184448831 Longitude; 146.054296131784 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.26 Location A9 Latitude; -38.401219776154 Longitude; 146.054788516987 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.27 Location A10 Latitude; -38.401277893601 Longitude; 146.055325178424 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.

110.28 Location A9 Latitude; -38.401416503377 Longitude; 146.054915800592 This tree is an original Moss nursery specimen.