London plane tree

Do you want to plant a London plane tree? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the London plane tree, and on pruning and caring for your London plane tree.
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General characteristics of a London plane tree

The plane tree is an impressive sight in the landscape, loved for its distinctive, mottled bark that renews itself every year. With its large, hand-shaped leaves, the plane tree offers not only visual beauty but also functional advantages. Plane trees are becoming increasingly common in towns and villages, often found in large squares or along busy streets. The tree is highly resistant to soil compaction and can grow well in places where other trees would struggle. The large leaves provide welcome shade in summer, making the plane tree a welcome companion on hot days. The plane tree is also often grown as an espalier tree in gardens and on terraces.

Characteristic of the common plane tree are its three- to five-lobed leaves, which have a sturdy, rough serrated edge. The leaves are shiny green on top and dull and paler underneath. The trees have male and female flowers that grow in catkins, with the male flowers being yellow in colour and the female flowers a carmine red hue.

There are two main types of plane tree in the Benelux, neither of which are native: the western plane tree (Platanus occidentalis), which originates from America, and the eastern plane tree (Platanus orientalis), which originates from the Balkans and Asia Minor. The London plane tree (Platanus x hispanica) is a hybrid of these two species.

Plane trees “filter” the air

Several studies have shown that plane trees (Platanus species) effectively reduce air pollution.

Characteristics


How to plant a London plane tree

Dig the planting hole a third deeper and wider than the roots. Make sure the planting hole is deep enough so that the taproot does not have to be laid to the side. Place the seedling in the hole, keeping it slightly higher than the final planting depth, rather than right at the bottom of the hole. Ultimately, the root collar should be at the boundary between soil and air. Some trees have small ridges on the root collar, which makes this easier. When placing the tree in the hole, keep it stable. The roots should not point upwards or twist during planting, otherwise the tree will become unstable or may strangle itself. Also, spread the roots out as much as possible. This will give the roots sufficient space to grow.

Fill the hole with moist, loose soil. Make sure that the soil that touches the hair roots (roots that are thinner than 1 millimetre) is well crumbled. Shake the tree slightly up and down so that the soil gets between the hair roots.

Place approximately 10 centimetres of soil above the hair roots and press lightly with your foot so that the roots can make good contact with the soil moisture.

For detailed planting instructions, see the planting guide on our website.

How to harvest a London plane tree

The plane tree has a taproot. To harvest the seedling, insert the spade straight down close to the trunk. Carefully make a circle around the plant by inserting the spade into the ground several times, so that you do not damage the taproot. Then lift the seedling out of the ground with a gentle levering motion. Make sure you dig out the taproot as completely as possible.

Caring for and pruning your London plane tree

The plane tree does not need to be pruned as a tree. In cities, however, you will see that it is crowned by pruning away the side branches, so that the tree can continue to grow neatly in the streets. It is best to prune a plane tree in the winter months or in early spring. If you choose early spring, this can be done in March and April. During these months, the tree can recover best and prepare for the warm months. If you prune the plane tree in summer, this can cause it to die.

The plane tree can also be pruned if you keep it as an espalier tree. In that case, prune the branches back to 1 to a maximum of 2 buds. Sometimes, pruning a branch back completely can also be an option. However, the tree will then have to work hard to sprout, which means that these branches will sprout later.

Where does a London plane tree grow

The plane tree originates from forests along rivers, where it grows on nutrient-rich and moist soils. Here it shares its habitat with other trees such as poplars, alders and willows. Although the plane tree thrives best in these moist conditions, it is surprisingly able to tolerate drought, making it very suitable for urban environments. The tree does not have high demands on soil type, but on calcareous soils it can suffer from drought, which can hinder its growth.


General

Origin
Alien
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 8 Up to 12 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 20 Up to 25 year
Maximum Age 200 Up to 400 year
Required Space 100 Up to 120m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating Yes
Reproduction Method
To cut (cutting is between 5 and 50 cm)
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen Yes
Summer No pruning in summer
Winter October tot March
Leaf Shapes Palmately lobed
Easy to prune Yes

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels Yes
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Varied
Bud Shape
Fusiform

Other

Root
Deeply rooted
Bloom
Has fruits
Has catkins
Wind sensitivity Moderately sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases
Leaf spot disease
Massaria

Harvest/recognition in winter

The buds are cone-shaped, reddish brown, and have a large protruding base. They are 6-8 mm in size.

The bark is smooth, thin and greyish brown. Flaking causes greenish or yellow spots to appear, which often make the tree easy to recognise. The plane tree has pale green twigs, which later become sturdy and brown in colour.

Light requirement of the London plane tree

The London plane tree thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun

    • Suitable soil types for the London plane tree

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the London plane tree to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the London plane tree

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the London plane tree in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the London plane tree

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does London plane tree like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant?
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer May Up to June

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Human
    Horse
    Cow
    Pig
    Chicken
    Goat
    Sheep
    Herbivorous rodents
    Dog
    Cat
    Foxes
    Badgers
    Ferret
    Mouse
    Squirrel
    Wild boar
    Deer
    Roe deer
    Beavers

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree London plane tree looks like

    Bark of the London plane tree
    A mature London plane tree
    A mature London plane tree in summer
    London plane tree in winter
    Bark of the London plane tree

    This is what the fruits of a London plane tree look like

    Leaf and fruit of the London plane tree
    Fruit of the London plane tree

    This is what a London plane tree in bloom looks like

    London plane tree in bloon

    This is what the bud of a London plane tree looks like

    Buds of the London plane tree

    This is what the leaf of a London plane tree looks like

    Leaf of the London plane tree