London plane
Platanus x acerifolia
EmergentClimax
Fast biomass
A fast, tough city-proof giant that pollards hard and drops mountains of leaf litter for mulch. Long-lived canopy backbone, but its hairy leaves and seed balls irritate lungs, and roots can heave paving.
Tolerances & traits
- Strata
- Emergent
- Lifecycle
- Climax
- Soil preference
- Loam, Clay
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 – 8.5
- Min. temperature
- -20°C
- Min. rainfall
- 600 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- Medium
- Frost tolerance
- High
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Medium
How to manage it
Tolerates hard annual pollarding beautifully, producing huge volumes of leaf litter; shred large leaves before mulching so they break down faster.
Watch out for
Fine hairs from leaves, bark and seed balls irritate lungs and eyes (avoid heavy pruning work without a mask); massive surface roots can heave pavements and foundations near the trunk.
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