Not many arborists or horticulturists are fond of the unremarkable but very popular London plane tree, Platanus X acerifolia. It soon gets too large for many of the tight situations it gets planted in, more than thirty feet broad and more than forty feet tall. Although it is among the most common of street trees, it can produce aggressive buttressed roots that displace sidewalks and curbs. Fuzz (tomentum) from the leaves is irritating to the skin or if inhaled.

Older trees that were planted prior to the development of disease resistant varieties are very susceptible to anthracnose and mildew, and are likely to infect other susceptible plants. Infected trees often get their foliage late in spring (after earlier new foliage shrivels and falls), or defoliate by late summer. Otherwise, the slightly raspy eight inch wide leaves seem sickly as they turn grungy yellowish brown in autumn.

Landscapers use London plane trees too commonly merely because they are so reliable. They tolerate most soils, smog, severe exposure (such as reflected glare from pavement) and a bit too much watering. Modern varieties are not quite as susceptible to disease. ‘Yarwood’ has large rounded leaves that are resistant to mildew. ‘Bloodgood’ is less susceptible to anthracnose. ‘Columbia’ is less susceptible to both diseases.

Large limbs and trunks with mottled gray and tan bark are rather sculptural while bare through winter. London plane happens to be conducive to annual pollarding, which makes the limbs even more sculpturally gnarly, and produces more vigorous growth with larger leaves that are less susceptible to disease.