Tree Name: Platanaceae Platanus
Common Name: London Plane Tree Angiosperm or Gymnosperm: Angiosperm Natural Habitat:Native to North America, Europe and Asia. Found in dry or wet soils, with full exposure to the sunlight. Leaf Pattern: The London Plane tree leafs average length is about 7 in long by 4 in. wide. The leafs have an alternating yet simple pattern with veins running throughout the area of the blade. Germination Process: London plane are Monoecious species therefore having the male and female share reproduction organs. The seeds are protected by a tough outer shell with small spikes. They are buried by animals during the fall and can sprout in the springtime. Animals and Plants in Area: Provides large amounts of shade that can help naturalized plant growth and provide a cooling place for animals in the hot summer. Finches use their beaks to get the seeds out of the tough ball protecting it for daily meals. Bark: Light brownish, peeling in large chunks, having patches of yellow and orange spots. Size: Can reach altitudes of 100 feet, can expand as far as 80 feet provide an abundant amount of shade. Ethnobotany (Human Use): The London Plane tree was first planted in London, U.K., where it can be spotted in royal gardens. It was included in Kew Gardens, which can be dated as far back as the 18th Century. The London Plane tree are very common in parks and large gardens all around the world. Being described as an ornamental tree, the London Plane protects the paths and benches from the sun with the shade it provides. Its beautiful, prominent leaves, with its size at 3 inches in height and length, compliment the light brownish color of the bark. The lumber the London Plane creates is lacewood. With its sturdiness and strength, lacewood can build an assortment of wooden indoor furniture. The supply of lacewood timber isn’t high because the demand for the wood is relatively low. They are used typically for veneering and can be “grown specifically as a forestry crop for joinery and veneering timber”(Chengappa). London Plane can be used as a pleached tree for the sugary sap used to make syrup, made and sold typically to United States. Uses of the bark and leaves were used to make different medicines that can be consumed or used on the skin. The roots and stems are being utilized for manufacturing of dyes. Summarize Research: Jeff Donovan and David Butry conducted a study to show certain geography placement of trees can reduce your PG&E bill. It is obvious that the London Plane tree is large and large trees provide shade. Specific Placement of trees and houses should be planned as so: The sunrise comes from the east and the sunset is in the west. With a sample size of 460 houses London Plane trees were placed in the southwest side and north side. The experiment concluded that trees on the southwest side saved 5.2% of energy while trees on the north side only reduced the energy by 1.5% (Donovan, G and Butry, D). Strategic planning of gardening could help homeowners saved hundreds of dollars over a decent period of time. With the London Plane tree being a main park and street tree, let us take a look at human impacts on the environment. A study done by … compared the difference of budburst times in urban areas to nonurban areas. Budburst in urban areas occurred four days earlier budburst in non-urban areas. (Dhami, I., Arano, K. G., Warner, T. A., Gazal, R. M., & Joshi, S.) “The intensity of the heat island effect and its effect on tree phenology were greater in” Urban areas compared to rural areas. Global Warming effects around the world have rushed plants sprouting periods causing more disease to happen and are causing pollinations to occur earlier. |
London Plane tree, #7
Leaf of London Plane tree
Canopy of London Plane tree
Bark of London Plane tree
Surroundings of London Plane tree
Base of London Plane tree
Branches of London Plane tree
Seed pod for the London Plane tree
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Current research done on the London Plane tree is testing the “effects of air pollution and the water stress of the leafs blight and twig cankers (blight and cankers are both diseases that are found in trees)” (Von Sury, R., & Flückiger, W.). Cuttings of the tree were placed in two semi-open chambers one filled with ambient air and was well watered and the other with filtered air facing water stress. They put different amounts of elements on the chambers similar to conditions in the spring and wintertime. They found the cut that went under the water stress test had a statistically significant result of higher suppression of leaf bling in the summertime in ambient air chamber. The filtered air and well-watered test had statistically significant results of larger twig cankers. This was a wintertime simulation. It comes as no surprise that the leafs would have more disease (blights) problems in the spring while the twigs face diseases (cankers) in the winter. (Von Sury, R., & Flückiger, W.).
Creative Essay:
Early Sunday morning, the dog is barking waiting for its walk while you are lagging getting the day started. You hook the leash to the dogs collar and you are off enjoying the cool morning walk. Entering an exquisite natural beauty placed near the core of the city, the public park. Enjoying the lines of London Plane trees parallel to the parks path blocking the rays of the sun completely, with the help of the dark greenish brown maple leaf shape leafs on and around the tree. Large thin pieces of bark near the base, once covering the white, smooth trunk. The dog nose finds itself attracted to the trees gravitational pull. You come closer observing little balls that protect the seeds hanging off twigs, similar to an ornament hanging on a Christmas tree, with birds pecking at them attempting to pierce the tough shell. Failing to penetrate it, the ball then falls to ground, hardly being disturbed. A squirrel pounces on it immediately, clawing at it and then takes off with the seed. You see the squirrel travel over a couple hundred feet to a dirt area, digging. The squirrel then places the seed in the hole, then fills it and runs away. Curious you are, for why doesn’t the squirrel consume its award. You then leave the park realizing that the squirrel likely forgot the location of the seed and come wintertime, when rain is common, may cause that little seed to eventually sprout and grow large like its family.
References: Dhami, I., Arano, K. G., Warner, T. A., Gazal, R. M., & Joshi, S. (2011). Phenology of trees and urbanization: a comparative study between New York City and Ithaca, New York. Geocarto International, 26(7), 507-526. doi:10.1080/10106049.2011.607517
Donovan, G. H., & Butry, D. T. (2009). The value of shade: Estimating the effect of urban trees on summertime electricity use. Energy & Buildings, 41(6), 662-668. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.01.002
Von Sury, R., & Flückiger, W. (1991). Effects of air pollution and water stress on leaf blight and twig cankers of London planes [Platanus × acerifolia (Ait.) Willd.] caused by Apiognomonia veneta (Sacc. & Speg.) Höhn. New Phytologist, 118(3), 397-405.
References (non research):
Chengappa, I.M. (2012) Plane Trees of London. Retrieved from http://www.aranya.co.uk/planes/text/intro.html.
Hagstrom, J. (2013) Arbor Day Foundation: Planetree, London Platanus x acerifolia. Retrieved from http://www.arborday.org/treeguide/treeDetail.cfm?ID=33.
Sieler, J., Peterson, J., Jensen, E. (2012). London Plane Tree. Retrieved from http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=307.
Creative Essay:
Early Sunday morning, the dog is barking waiting for its walk while you are lagging getting the day started. You hook the leash to the dogs collar and you are off enjoying the cool morning walk. Entering an exquisite natural beauty placed near the core of the city, the public park. Enjoying the lines of London Plane trees parallel to the parks path blocking the rays of the sun completely, with the help of the dark greenish brown maple leaf shape leafs on and around the tree. Large thin pieces of bark near the base, once covering the white, smooth trunk. The dog nose finds itself attracted to the trees gravitational pull. You come closer observing little balls that protect the seeds hanging off twigs, similar to an ornament hanging on a Christmas tree, with birds pecking at them attempting to pierce the tough shell. Failing to penetrate it, the ball then falls to ground, hardly being disturbed. A squirrel pounces on it immediately, clawing at it and then takes off with the seed. You see the squirrel travel over a couple hundred feet to a dirt area, digging. The squirrel then places the seed in the hole, then fills it and runs away. Curious you are, for why doesn’t the squirrel consume its award. You then leave the park realizing that the squirrel likely forgot the location of the seed and come wintertime, when rain is common, may cause that little seed to eventually sprout and grow large like its family.
References: Dhami, I., Arano, K. G., Warner, T. A., Gazal, R. M., & Joshi, S. (2011). Phenology of trees and urbanization: a comparative study between New York City and Ithaca, New York. Geocarto International, 26(7), 507-526. doi:10.1080/10106049.2011.607517
Donovan, G. H., & Butry, D. T. (2009). The value of shade: Estimating the effect of urban trees on summertime electricity use. Energy & Buildings, 41(6), 662-668. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2009.01.002
Von Sury, R., & Flückiger, W. (1991). Effects of air pollution and water stress on leaf blight and twig cankers of London planes [Platanus × acerifolia (Ait.) Willd.] caused by Apiognomonia veneta (Sacc. & Speg.) Höhn. New Phytologist, 118(3), 397-405.
References (non research):
Chengappa, I.M. (2012) Plane Trees of London. Retrieved from http://www.aranya.co.uk/planes/text/intro.html.
Hagstrom, J. (2013) Arbor Day Foundation: Planetree, London Platanus x acerifolia. Retrieved from http://www.arborday.org/treeguide/treeDetail.cfm?ID=33.
Sieler, J., Peterson, J., Jensen, E. (2012). London Plane Tree. Retrieved from http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=307.