Platanus orientalis 'Hackney Form'

This name is used here to describe a distinctive clone to be found at various places, mostly in inner London, with a particular concentration in Hackney. This tree has most of the features of the oriental plane. However it also has some features that are not common in the oriental plane as generally described in London, particularly the very large fruits. Good specimens can be found in Finsbury Park, Kennington Park, by the embankment gardens near Charing Cross and scattered across other places in London.

All these trees are of a size that would date them to early twentieth century or a little earlier. No young trees have been seen.

More photographs

Description

Tree - This form is a large tree but probably not as large at any given age as the London plane. The base of the trunk is sometimes swollen.

Bark - The bark always flakes, leaving an olive green surface dappled with a pale yellow colour. The bark flakes in relatively thick corky slices, sometimes 5 to 10 mm thick, or even more on large trunks. Often shallow concave depressions can be seen in the trunk where small patches have come off previously. These can give the appearance of being cut out with a spoon.

Crown - Sinuous or contorted branches emerge from the trunk at all heights, producing a picturesque specimen tree. The branches remain stiff and show little tendency to weep or become pendulous as in the London Plane. The crown is somewhat sparse compared to the other forms. Leaves are held on the tree a little longer in autumn than in the other planes.

Axillary buds - These are distinctly broader and squatter than most other planes, often ovoid. Typically they are around 7-9mm across and 8-10mm long, the largest terminal buds being up to 12mm x 13mm. The base of the petiole is markedly and abruptly enlarged into a bulbous shape in late summer to accomodate it. There is a blunt point to each bud. Some lower axillary buds approach a globular shape. In winter buds are a red-purple in contrast to the shoots which are olive-green.

Leaf shape - The outline of a typical leaf lobe is similar to that of many oriental planes, individual leaves being rather deeply lobed, with lobes a lot longer than broad. Depth of lobing varies, some leaves so deep lobed as to appear at first glance to be palmately divided, like a horse-chestnut (Aesculus) leaf. The leaf itself is about as long as broad. Lobes and teeth turn upwards on a stiff blade. The deep lobing and crown shape (along with the leaf colour, described below) gives the tree a distinctive appearance, even from a distance.

Leaf colour - Leaves are a medium to dark green above, paler below, not very glossy. It is distinct from the London form in the darker colour, distinct from Pyramidalis in being lighter green and less glossy. Trees in summer have a grey-silver or grey-brown colour tinge, quite distinct from other planes, and can be recognised by the colour at a distance.

Shoots and young leaves - These are moderately downy. Shoots are thick compared to other clones.

Fruit - These are large or very large, 30 to 45 mm across, borne 2 to 5 on a stem, freely borne on old trees. They mature and change colour to a fawn brown earlier than other forms. (Fruits of 'Pyramidalis' have fruit similar in size but usually borne fewer to a stem.)

This makes a handsome tree in most cases. The winter crown is rather stiff in appearance, compared with the London form, and the other forms with the more common drooping habit.

Selected specimens of Platanus Hackney Form

In articles in the Gardener's Chronicle, in 1860, the nurseryman Thomas Rivers described some variants of plane tree. A further account in the same periodical in 1866 is not attributed but is probably also authored by him. The varieties described included the varieties 'Palmata' and 'Palmata Superba'. The descriptions are sketchy; it is likely that Rivers was working from young plants and trees. There is no mention of fruit and little mention of the form of the tree. Most of the useful detail is about leaves and leaf shape. Insufficient detail is given in the accounts written by Rivers to be certain that the tree he describes is the tree described here. However the leaves and shoots match his descriptions. The leaves are said to be large and deeply palmate, wind resisant. The tree is said to be more spreading and vigorous, bark not to be shed as much as in other forms, young leaves and shoots to be covered by a thick fawny down. Leaves are supposed to be shed later than in the London Plane. This description matches the trees described here in most respects. However, the bark of the modern observed trees is being shed as frequently as in the common plane, and leaf fall is at the same time as other planes. It is likely that Rivers was describing young specimens which may have differing behaviour. If his nursery distributed this variety, as is possible, that would account for the scattering of mature trees now found in London, apparantly dating from the late 19th to early 20th century.

Bean suggests or implies, that the tree in Kew, standing north of the planting around King William's Temple, could represent Rivers' form 'Palmata'. This tree at Kew currently bears a label with the name P. orientalis, and it is distinct in many respects from the trees described here, (such as in the glossy leaf).

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5-Jan-2007