London Planetree

Arbor walk #6, Treekeeper ID #2200

The London Planetree is a hybrid of the Oriental Plane (Platanus orientalis) and American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), combining improved disease resistance with cold tolerance. The London Planetree is also extremely tolerant of pollution, and is even found to be an effective removal agent of air pollution particles. For this reason, it was an extremely popular choice for urban plantings, especially during the Industrial Revolution.

This is a large stately tree with olive-green to creamy exfoliating bark, providing great winter interest. It has 1″ round fruits that hang on the tree through winter.

Common Name	London Planetree
Latin Name	Platanus x acerifolia
Indigenous Name(s)
Cultivar/Variety	‘Morton Circle’
Commercial Name	EXCLAMATION

Global Distribution of American Sycamore

*American Sycamore is a parent to the London Planetree*

Global Distribution of Oriental Planetree

*Oriental Planetree is a parent to the London Planetree*

Where to find Arbor Walk #6 on WashU campus

Our London Planetree in space

GPS Coordinates

N/A

Percent Concrete

N/A

Distance to Buildings

Year	Close Building #1	Close Building #2	Close Building #3
2020	McMillan Hall, 9.02 m	Wrighton Hall, 36.78 m	Bauer Hall, 60.95 m

Distance to Other Species

Year	Close Species #1	Close Species # 2	Close Species # 3
2020	American Holly, 6.05 m	Eastern Redbud, 7.04 m	Flowering Dogwood, 7.32 m

Our London Planetree through time

Standard Measurements

Year	Height (m)	DBH (cm)	Caliper (m)	Crown Diameter N-S (m)	Crown Diameter E-W (m)	Average Crown Diameter (m)
2020	11.0486	18.7	N/A	6.04	7.14	6.59
2023	11.8	26	N/A	10	10.3	10.15
2024	15.17	28.3	N/A	9.55	9.51	9.53

Nests and Pests

Year	Description
2020	Grey and green lichen Bagworms (with wilted twigs distal to the coccoons) Dark and light green algae on trunk

How to identify a London Planetree

Leaf Identification

The leaves of the London Planetree are 6″ to 7″ long and 8″ to 10″ wide with three major palmate lobes and sparse toothing. They are a dark green and turn yellow to brown in the fall.

Leaf of Arbor Walk #6
Underside of Leaf from Arbor Walk #6

Twig and Bud Identification

The twig is zig zag and brown.

Twig of Arbor Walk #6

Bark Identification

The London Planetree has olive green to creamy exfoliating bark with thin rectangular scales.

Bark of Arbor Walk #6
Branch of Arbor Walk #6

Fruit Identification

The London Planetree has 1″ round fruit that stay attached on the tree through winter. The fruit is made of multiple bristle-tipped achenes (seed enclosed by hard, dry pericarp) which will be wind dispersed in the winter when they break off the aggregate fruit.

[photo forthcoming]

Flower Identification

The flowers of the London Planetree are borne on a spherical structure, with 1-3 spheres per peduncle (flowering stem). The flowers are monoecious, with the female flowers being larger and a brighter red-pink color than the male flowers. The flowers bloom in spring.