How do you recognise London plane (Platanus x hispanica)?

Leaf

Pierre Bonnet, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0

London plane

Platanus x hispanica Mill. ex Münchh.

Also known as: Plane tree, Hybrid plane

Family: Platanaceae

25 to 35 m tall

Widely planted in towns and in avenues

Flowering: April – May

Full sun

Part shade

-20°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Bark that flakes off in plates, revealing a characteristic mottled trunk. London plane has characteristic bark flaking off in large coloured plates (green, grey, cream) and fruits in drooping balls, whereas sycamore has more uniformly grey, fissured bark and winged fruits (samaras) — yet the lobed leaves of the two look very similar from a distance.

🍃 Leaves

Broad, with 3 to 5 lobes, resembling those of maple

🌸 Flowers

Small, drooping spherical flower heads

🍎 Fruits

Spiky balls persisting throughout the winter

🪵 Bark

Flakes off in large plates, leaving pale patches

🗺️ Distribution

Garden hybrid (Platanus orientalis x occidentalis) that appeared in the 17th century; widely planted in towns throughout France

🐝 Value for pollinators

Mainly wind-pollinated, of little interest to pollinators

✂️ Horticultural uses

Widely planted in urban avenues and along roads for its dense shade

⚠️ Possible toxicity

Stinging hairs on the young fruits can irritate the skin and respiratory tract

⚠️ Look-alike species

London plane

Platanus x hispanica

Sycamore maple

Acer pseudoplatanus

London plane has characteristic bark flaking off in large coloured plates (green, grey, cream) and fruits in drooping balls, whereas sycamore has more uniformly grey, fissured bark and winged fruits (samaras) — yet the lobed leaves of the two look very similar from a distance.

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.