Description
Platanus hispanica – London Plane
Brief description: The London plane is the classic urban tree of Europe – large-crowned, shade-giving and impressively long-lived. Its characteristically mottled bark in grey, green and cream-white makes it unmistakable. With its broad, vaulted crown, it provides dense shade in summer and has shaped avenues, market squares and parks throughout Southern and Central Europe for centuries.
Climatic characteristics & site requirements: The London plane is exceptionally heat and drought tolerant, making it one of the most future-proof urban tree species for the warming regions of Southern Germany. It thrives on almost all well-drained soils, tolerates compaction and de-icing salt better than most other large trees. It has already proven itself in the Rhine Valley, the Stuttgart area and Franconian cities. It avoids waterlogging and permanently waterlogged soils.
Advantages: Excellent heat and drought tolerance, urban climate resistant, impressive shade cast, attractive bark, long-lived, de-icing salt tolerant, suitable for many soil types.
Disadvantages: Very large space requirement – not a tree for private home gardens, leaves and fruits (seed balls) produce abundant autumn litter, hairs from seed balls can cause respiratory irritation, not native.
