TREETREE

LONDON PLANE TREES

Planes in autumn

Planes in winter

Planes in spring

Planes in summer

The oldest London planes

Notable London planes

The Oriental plane

Plane tree bark

Massaria disease of planes

Massaria research in Islington

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Plane tree bark

 

The bark of the London plane flakes off in small patches to expose new bark underneath. This is a form of self-cleansing that was considered important during the industrial revolution as the plane could withstand a lot of pollution.

 

The bark is far from uniform in how it presents itself. The faster the tree grows the more shedding of bark there is; more slowly-expanding stems tend to acquire a much more substantial rind, which may become a thick crust and take many years to drop away. Also, the tree often acquires a range of lichens which add richness to its colours and patterns.

 

Click for photos of textures and colours.