# London plane (Platanus × acerifolia)

> A huge, fast shade tree with cream, olive and tan camouflage bark that flakes off in plates, big maple-like leaves and paired bristly seed balls that hang through winter. It tolerates pollution, compacted soil and hard pruning better than almost any large tree, which is why it is the dominant street tree in London, New York, Paris and many other cities. It is also messy, lifts sidewalks with its roots and gets anthracnose in wet springs; disease-resistant cultivars ('Bloodgood', 'Columbia', 'Liberty', 'Exclamation!', 'Yarwood') are the ones to plant.

Source: https://treerm.org/trees/platanus-x-acerifolia · Updated 2026-11-08 · License CC BY 4.0

## Facts

- Also called: London planetree, Hybrid plane
- Family: Platanaceae
- Type: Broadleaf, loses its leaves in winter
- Mature height: 25 m; spread 20 m
- Growth: Fast growing
- USDA hardiness zones: 4 to 9
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Moderate water
- Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained soil preferred; tolerates clay, alkaline pH, compaction and occasional wet
- Native range: A garden hybrid of American sycamore and Oriental plane, probably arising in Spain or southern France in the 1600s; not native anywhere.

**Benefits:** Shade, Fast canopy, Drought tolerant, Storm resistant, Stores carbon well

**Good for:** Street tree, parks, Yard shade

**Watch out for:** Heavy litter, Large roots, Surface roots, Pest prone, Allergenic pollen

## Care

Plant in full sun with room for a 60 ft crown and water deeply through establishment. Prune in the dormant season; it tolerates pollarding but that commits you to repeating it. Anthracnose, powdery mildew, canker stain (fatal, spread by tools) and lace bug are the main problems; disinfect pruning tools and rake fallen leaves. The fine hairs on leaves and fruit can irritate airways.

## Where it stands

- **Native:** Spain (Hybrid of garden origin (Platanus occidentalis × P. orientalis), probably first raised in Spain or southern France.)
- **Adapted:** Canada (Planted as a street tree in southern Ontario and British Columbia; USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in Canada.); United States (Introduced; one of the most planted street trees in US cities, hardy in zones 4 to 9. USDA PLANTS (as Platanus ×hispanica) lists it as introduced.)
- **Recommended:** Toronto, ON, Canada (London plane is on Toronto's list of species planted on streets.); Los Angeles, CA, United States (On the City Plants (Los Angeles) Street Tree Species List); Sacramento, CA, United States (On the Sacramento Tree Foundation Shady 80 recommended trees list); Denver, CO, United States (On the Denver Office of the City Forester Approved Street Tree List); Portland, OR, United States ('Bloodgood', 'Columbia', 'Liberty', 'Exclamation' and 'Yarwood' London planetree are on Portland's list for planting strips 8.5 ft and wider.)

## Sources

- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/platanus-x-acerifolia/
- https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PLHI
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platanus_%C3%97_hispanica