London Plane Tree

The London Plane Tree (Platanus x acerifolia) is the classic avenue tree of Australian cities, and it earns the reputation. It reaches about 15m tall and 10m wide, throwing broad summer shade from large lobed leaves, then colouring gold and russet in autumn before dropping them so winter sun reaches the house again. It is fast, tough and close to indifferent about poor soil, heat, drought and wind.

Why you'll love it

• Serious shade, and quickly. A fast grower that puts a 10m wide canopy over a lawn, driveway or car park within about a decade.
• Cool in summer, bright in winter. Being deciduous it shades the house through the hot months, then lets the low winter sun through once the leaves drop.
• Real autumn colour. Gold and russet tones that few large shade trees manage reliably in Australian conditions.
• Genuinely hard to upset. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, wind firm and content in poor compacted soil.
• Bark worth looking at. The trunk sheds in plates to leave a cream, olive and grey pattern that carries the bare months.

Where it works best

Shade trees for large gardens. One tree over a lawn or entertaining area does the work of three smaller ones. Allow the full 10m of clear space.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 6m apart for a tall matched row. At that spacing the canopies meet overhead while each trunk keeps a clean shape below.

Windbreaks and hard sites. Poor soil tolerance and wind firmness suit exposed rural boundaries, road verges, car parks and new estates with thin topsoil.

Growing London Plane Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. This is a cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid to semi-arid tree, so it performs from Sydney and Perth south and right through inland regions. It is not the pick for the wet tropics.

Soil. Almost anything, including compacted clay and poor urban fill, provided water does not pool. The roots are vigorous and run near the surface, so keep the tree well clear of pipes, paving, retaining walls and pools.

Water and feed. Deep weekly soaks through the first two summers, then it largely looks after itself. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it asks.

Pruning. Prune in winter while the tree is bare. It takes hard reduction better than most, and it is the traditional choice for pollarding if you want a broad head held well under 15m.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 400mm, 30L, 45L and 100L. The 400mm and 30L trees are young whips with a single leader and few side branches, and they are the value choice for a long row. From 45L upwards you are buying trunk calliper and a formed head of branches on day one.

Deciduous stock ordered in winter may arrive bare or thinly leafed, which is dormancy rather than a fault. Expect a metre or more of growth a year once the roots are away. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to choose a canopy tree for shade
• Browse the deciduous tree range
• Trees suited to driveways and avenues
• More plants with autumn colour

Common questions

How close to the house can I plant it?

Not close. The surface roots are vigorous, so keep it well away from pipes, paving, pools and retaining walls, and allow the full 10m of canopy width from any structure.

Can I keep it smaller than 15m?

Yes. It responds to hard winter pruning better than most large trees, and regular pollarding holds it at 5m to 8m with a dense head of new growth each season.

Is it a problem for allergies?

It can be. Fine hairs shed from the new leaves and seed balls in spring irritate some people, so it is not the tree for a small courtyard used by sensitive family members.