Virginia Tech Dendrology

London plane tree Platanaceae Platanus xhispanica Mill. ex Münchh. [occidentalis x orientalis] symbol: PLHI
Leaf: Alternate, simple, palmately veined, 5 to 9 inches long, just as wide, 3- to 5-lobed, coarsely toothed, medium green above, paler below, petiole base covers the bud
Flower: Species is monoecious; not showy, separate males and females, usually two per stalk, appearing in early spring as the leaves begin to unfold.
Fruit: A spherical multiple of achenes, 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, ripening to brown in October and persisting into winter, usually borne in pairs, hanging from long, thin stalks.
Twig: Moderate zig-zag pattern, green, turning grayish brown, leaves cover axillary and terminal buds, buds are conical, reddish and covered with a single cap-like scale, this stipule scar encircles twig.
Bark: Attractive, light brown, exfoliating into creamy, olive and yellow patches.
Form: A very large tree with large branches, slightly pyramidal to round crown, reaching 100 feet in height.
Looks like: American sycamore - California sycamore - Arizona sycamore

Additional Range Information: Platanus xhispanica is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information