Fuzzy brown catkins festoon the branches of London’s iconic tree
NOT NATIVE AND TECHNICALLY A HYBRID, the London plane was created in about 1650 by crossing the Oriental plane and American sycamore. Yet today, no tree is more closely associated with the British capital. Its shade-giving foliage and pale flaky bark are vital to the city’s character. The plane isn’t actually the commonest tree in London, nor is it confined to the metropolis. Its toughness – it is exceptionally tolerant of air pollution – means it has been planted on city streets throughout Britain and Europe.
Come December, this most urban of trees becomes an alternative Christmas tree, with hundreds of natural baubles festooning its leafless branches. Inside every fuzzy brown catkin is a mass of achenes – small fruits, each consisting of a seed attached to a tuft of hair to aid eventual dispersal on the wind next spring or summer. In the meantime, the fruiting balls hang from the tree, looking highly decorative.