London Planetree: The Urban Champion That’s Not Quite Native
If you’ve ever strolled down a tree-lined city street and admired those towering trees with the puzzle-piece bark, chances are you were looking at a London planetree (Platanus ×hispanica). This impressive shade tree has become a fixture in urban landscapes across North America, though it’s got quite the interesting backstory that might surprise you.
What Exactly Is a London Planetree?
The London planetree is actually a hybrid – think of it as nature’s own mashup between the Oriental plane from Europe and Asia and our native American sycamore. Also known by several scientific synonyms including Platanus ×acerifolia, this tree is the result of what happens when two similar species get together and create something entirely new.
As a perennial woody plant, the London planetree grows as a single-stemmed tree that can reach impressive heights of up to 100 feet at maturity, though you’ll typically see them around 65 feet after 20 years of growth. With their rapid growth rate and long lifespan, these trees are definitely playing the long game in your landscape.
Where You’ll Find London Planetrees
While this hybrid isn’t native to North America, it has established itself across several states and even into Canada. You’ll find London planetrees growing in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ontario. They’ve proven quite adaptable to reproducing on their own in these areas, though they’re not considered invasive.
Why Gardeners Love (and Sometimes Question) London Planetrees
Let’s be honest – the London planetree is a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, this tree is practically bulletproof in urban environments. It laughs in the face of air pollution, tolerates compacted soils that would make other trees weep, and can handle moderate drought once established. The distinctive bark that peels away in patches creates a beautiful camouflage pattern that provides year-round visual interest, and the fall foliage puts on a nice yellow show.
However, since it’s not native, it doesn’t provide the same level of wildlife benefits that our indigenous trees offer. The small, yellow flowers that appear in late spring aren’t particularly showy and offer limited value to pollinators since the tree is wind-pollinated. The brown fruits that follow aren’t exactly a wildlife buffet either.
Growing Conditions and Care
If you’re considering a London planetree, you’ll need to think big – and we mean really big. These trees are happiest in USDA hardiness zones 5-9, where temperatures don’t drop below -23°F. Here’s what they need to thrive:
- Space: Lots of it – these trees spread wide and tall
- Soil: Remarkably adaptable to coarse, medium, or fine-textured soils
- pH: Prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions (5.5-7.5)
- Sun: Full sun – they’re shade intolerant
- Water: Medium moisture needs, drought tolerant once established
- Fertility: Low fertilizer requirements
Planting and Care Tips
London planetrees are readily available from nurseries and can be planted from containers, bare root, or grown from seed (though seed has low germination vigor). Here are some key care considerations:
- Plant in spring after frost danger has passed
- Provide regular water during establishment
- Ensure adequate space – plan for mature size
- Prune young trees to establish good structure
- Be patient – while growth is rapid, the tree has low salt tolerance and no fire resistance
The Native Alternative Conversation
While London planetrees aren’t problematic invasive species, many gardeners today are prioritizing native plants for their superior wildlife value. If you’re looking for a large native shade tree alternative, consider:
- American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) – one of the London planetree’s parents
- Red oak (Quercus rubra)
- Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
- Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
These native options will provide much better support for local wildlife while still giving you that impressive canopy coverage.
The Bottom Line
London planetrees are urban warriors that can handle tough conditions where other trees might struggle. If you have a large space that needs a tough, fast-growing shade tree, and native alternatives won’t work for your specific conditions, the London planetree could be a reasonable choice. Just remember that you’re not adding much to the local ecosystem’s dinner table – but you are getting a tree that will likely outlive you with that distinctive, eye-catching bark that never gets old.
Whatever you decide, make sure you’ve got the space for this gentle giant to spread its wings – or should we say, branches!
