Platanus racemosa

Identification

Gallery

Description

A fast 75' deciduous tree. It will grow to 15-20 ft. in 5-10 years. It is along creeks in the foothills and coast ranges of Calif.. It takes takes wind, heat, but not drought tolerant until established. (Then it will be drought tolerant only where there is a high water table or along the coast.) It likes sun and moderate water. Chips of bark from trunk and roots can be boiled for coffee. Plant at 15 deg. angle for sweep, or pull over with cables to encourage spreading habit, 'multi' means more than one stem from the base. 'Wild' habit can be achieved by planting 3, 3-5' apart and leaning out. This is a very important wildlife plant. Hummingbirds and butterflies use extensively. It is a food plant for the Western Tiger Swallowtail. It has some fall color. The white bark with the chips of brown spotted here and there make for an attractive formal trunk. Probably allelopathic.(Rice) Notice there is not much under a lot of sycamores in the wild? We use wood chips to mulch.The green tree in the picture is 6 years old in the nursery(30-40 ft.,the little post under it is a 4 ft. hitching post), the yellow tree is the fall color.