Platanus acerifolia ‘Bloodgood’

London planetree is a hybrid cross between American sycamore (P. occidentalis) and Oriental planetree (P. orientalis). The original cross may have occurred as early as the 1640s, after which this tree became widely planted in London and other major European cities because of its perceived tolerance for urban pollution. City planting spread to America where this hybrid today is common in such distant locations as Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California. This hybrid can be very difficult to distinguish from its American parent. Distinguishing features include: (1) Leaves have deeper sinuses and (2) fruiting balls appear in pairs. Like its American parent, it typically grows as a single-trunk tree to 75-100′ (less frequently to 120′) tall with horizontal branching and a rounded habit. Trunk diameter typically ranges from 3-8′. The signature ornamental feature of this huge tree is its brown bark which exfoliates in irregular pieces to reveal creamy white inner bark. Mature trees typically display mottled white bark that facilitates identification from great distances. The large 3-5 lobed medium to dark green leaves (4-9″ wide) have coarse marginal teeth. In fall, foliage typically turns an undistinguished yellow-brown. Bloodgood planetree, a selection of the tough London planetree that is widely planted in urban areas, is a large shade tree with a broad open crown and bark that exfoliates to reveal patches that may be creamy white, yellow, or olive-colored. The signature ornamental feature of this huge tree is its brown bark, which exfoliates in irregular pieces to reveal creamy white inner bark. ‘Bloodgood’ has dark green foliage and is reported to have some resistance to the problematic anthracnose disease of sycamores.  (Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Gardens Plant Finder)