Scientific name: Platanus x hispanica
Synonym: Platanus × acerifolia , Platanus × hybrida
Family: PLATANACEAE
Common names: “London planetree” “Sycamore”
Plant Type: Deciduous tree
Conditions:
Zone: 5-8
Light: Full sun
Exposure: Exposed or sheltered
Soil: Average – fertile deep, tolerates street conditions
Moisture: Well drained
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 40-100′ W 30-70′
Leaf and Stem shape: Beautiful flaking grey and cream bark, and maple-like, palmately lobed leaves
Flower: Inconspicuous flowers are followed by clustered, burr-like fruits
Pruning: Avoid using heading back cuts, only thinning out 25% of smaller branches, reduces sail of the tree
Maintenance: High, constant cleanup of fallen debris
Landscape use: City & courtyard gardens, roadside plantings, coastal
Propagate: By cuttings and suckers
Pests & Disease: Can get anthracnose and root rot if too wet
Comments: “Unless you are working on an estate or in a park, you will never plant this” “there is never a time of the year when these are not dropping something” ~AGM winner, widely planted in London, roots can heave up sidewalks and drains
