Sycamore(Latin Platanus; Turkish Çınar), plane tree is a tree with leaves shaped like maple and peeling bark.
Sycamore(Platanus from the Greek platanos from platys - wide) is the only one in the plane tree family (Platanaceae). The genus has about 10 species, some of which are natural or artificial interspecific hybrids, found in North America (from Canada to Mexico) and from the Eastern Mediterranean to Indochina.
Plane tree culture dates back several thousand years. Following the colonization of new territories by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians, cultural plantings of plane trees also spread. These peoples considered it the most beautiful plant of the East. When wild, the plantings formed groves, becoming an integral part of the landscape, so it is almost impossible to determine the original natural habitat of this species. Wild plane trees are not found in Russia.
All trees of the genus are large with a dense, wide crown and a powerful trunk (maximum height up to 50 m and circumference up to 18 m). The trunk is usually cylindrical, with greenish-gray peeling bark. For this, in the south of Russia he received the nickname “shameless.” Plane trees grown in open areas have a wide and irregular crown up to 30 m in diameter and a short, often curved trunk. In trees growing in groups, the crown is noticeably smaller, and the even trunk has a slight camber and is freed from branches to a height of 20-25 m. The leaves are alternate, palmately lobed, on long petioles.
The only wild species on the territory of the former USSR - the eastern plane tree or plane tree (Platanus orientalis) - is found in the Southern Transcaucasus and Central Asia (Pamir-Alai). In Armenia, in the Tsavsky reserve, a unique plane tree grove with a total area of about 50 hectares has been preserved.
The eastern sycamore is a tertiary relict that is considered endangered. The remaining species of plane tree are introduced and grown in cultivation. All of these are monoecious deciduous trees, with the exception of one evergreen - Platanus kerrii from Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos), which is sometimes classified into a special subgenus - Castanrophyllum (captn-like).
Apart from the two species mentioned above, the remaining wild plane trees are found only in North America. The largest size stands out for the western plane tree (Platanus occidentalis), also known as Buttonwood, Buttonball, American P1ane, American Sycamore, Sycamore. It is found almost everywhere in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, often growing up to 45-50 m, and the trunk at human chest level often reaches 3 m in diameter. This species is characterized by light bark and large leaves (12-15 cm), giving it a special decorative appearance.
Sycamore is a soundwood species with wide grayish sapwood, vaguely demarcated from the reddish-brown core. The annual layers are poorly visible, the vessels are small and inconspicuous, the medullary rays are wide and clearly visible in all sections; on a radial section they form a characteristic texture. Sycamore has a very high color variability even within the same log - from delicate pink to reddish-brown. The texture is mottled and grainy. In general, sycamore wood is somewhat reminiscent of beech, but the medullary rays are wider and more numerous. The density of plane tree is 700 kg/m3.
Maple-leaved sycamore sometimes produces a very interesting texture, called "spectacled" sycamore, due to the distinct zones of nodes that are regularly distributed across the cut surface and create a unique pattern. The wood has a characteristic shine and high uniform density (uniform distribution of mechanical tissues across the width of the annual layer). The wood of the maple-leaved sycamore takes on the color of red wine after steaming. The number of annual layers per 1 cm of cross section for the eastern plane tree (North Caucasus) averages 5.2.
In general, the physical and mechanical properties of sycamore wood are similar to oak and beech. It is moderately light and hard, dense, has a medium structure with dense fibers, but is easily rotten. The strength of sycamore is moderate, the Brinell hardness is about 3.9 (the density of oak and beech is 3.8, pine is 2.5). Plane wood cuts well and with a smooth edge. It bends well, sharpens and takes the desired shape. Sycamore is well sanded and polished, forming a beautiful shiny surface.
Plane wood dries quite quickly (much faster than other hardwoods) and is not prone to cracking, but there is a risk of warping, especially for thin tangentially cut assortments. In other words, plane tree is a medium-drying species and allows the use of intensive drying modes without much risk.
The stability of sycamore products when changing temperature and humidity operating conditions is assessed as good. The wood glues well and holds fastenings (nails and screws) securely. A significant disadvantage of sycamore wood is its low biostability, which limits its use (dry rooms).
The wood of this species is a valuable ornamental material. It can (with the above restrictions) be used in carpentry and furniture products. The limited supply of this species on the timber market makes it preferable to use it for the manufacture of veneer, which is very attractive in color and texture. The best texture is considered to be the one that craftsmen call “snake skin”. To obtain sliced veneer, not only the trunk and large branches are used, but also the roots, which produce veneer with a rich texture in pleasant warm color tones (from red to yellowish-white). However, working with roots requires high durability of the cutting tool and soft drying modes.
The rapid growth of sycamore trees early in their life has made them very promising for short-rotation forest plantations to produce raw materials for the pulp and paper industry, wood-based panels and biofuels.
Due to its decorative properties, smoke and gas resistance, sycamore is widely used in landscaping in areas with a favorable climate. Plane trees are recommended to be planted during land reclamation (quarries, etc.), since they are pioneer trees. A limitation, in addition to low winter hardiness, is also that the large leaves of the plane tree slowly rot.
Sycamore, plane tree, oriental maple - these names are used to describe a majestic tree that grows in many countries with warm climates. In Europe, these are Italy, Greece, and the states of the Balkan Peninsula. In the Mediterranean - the islands of Crete and Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan. Sycamore is found in the river valleys of Asia Minor and floodplain forests of Azerbaijan. The tree's habitat covers Indochina, Australia and even North America. The plane tree is also found in Russia under the name eastern maple. It is most widespread in Central Asia, where it has been cultivated for one and a half millennia and is called plane tree.
In general, we can distinguish 3 main regions where this wonderful tree grows or is cultivated:
- Central Asian region (plane tree).
- North America (western sycamore).
- Europe (hybrid sycamore).
Sycamore is a tree from the plane family, 25–30 m high (some specimens reach 50 m), with a wide, knotty trunk and spreading crown. The sycamore leaf is similar to a maple leaf, with sharp narrowed edges, and the leaf petioles are long. The thick, multi-layered bark is light gray or greenish-gray. In autumn, the top layer of bark falls off. After flowering, small greenish balls can be seen on the tree, which eventually form a fruit. The fruits of the plane tree ripen in the spring and February-March crumble; The contents of the fruit - brown nuts - can be eaten.
The twigs and branches of the plane tree form a dense crown, which, given the size of the tree itself, provides shade over a significant area. Even in ancient times, Central Asian plane trees were planted along irrigation ditches, near mosques and tombs - wherever a large number of people needed shelter from the scorching heat. There is a legend about a tree, under the shade of which a hundred horsemen could sit.
This property defined the tree as a decorative park tree. Many gardens and streets of Tashkent, Samarkand and other cities of the East are decorated with powerful stovburs of plane trees. Recently, there has been a tendency towards an increase in sycamore plantings, which should replace less durable species in cities: poplar, maple, acacia.
Based on individual characteristics, three main types are distinguished:
- Platanus orientalis.
- Platanus occidentalis.
- Platanus hispanica.
Gallery: plane tree (25 photos)
Main varieties
It is worth taking a closer look at some types of wood.
How to grow sycamore from seeds
Eastern maple can be grown by cuttings or layering (for cultivated plantings) or use the year-round germination that nature has provided. The seed sprouts directly from pre-prepared soil: the soil needs to be loosened and fertilized to allow the tree to reproduce in more comfortable conditions. A description of how to grow a plane tree from seeds can be found on websites dedicated to landscape design.
When choosing a place where the eastern plane tree will grow, it is necessary to provide the necessary distance from buildings and structures. The powerful root system of this giant tree can damage even a strong foundation.
Use in economic activities
The eastern maple has a lush, beautiful crown, which is why this species is used in the decoration of garden and park plantings. With skillful crowning, a plane tree can give a garden or park the look it needs for a landscape or form its basis. The original coloring of the wood allows the plane tree to be used for the needs of the woodworking industry. The main color of the wood is red, from pinkish-white to coffee shade. The unique texture allows the use of valuable wood in the manufacture of artistic and decorative products, for finishing halls and offices, and for the manufacture of exclusive furniture.
The physical and mechanical properties of eastern maple wood are ideal for processing. It is light, has sufficient density and hardness. The material is well cut, polished and ground. Veneer is in great demand. However, with many positive properties, this wood is susceptible to rotting and warping, which complicates the process of its preparation.
The bark of the eastern maple, its roots and leaves are used for medicinal purposes. The pharmacological properties of the tree are due to its special chemical composition.
- A decoction of the roots is used as a hemostatic agent.
- The bark has anti-inflammatory properties, helps with viral infections and stomach diseases.
- An infusion of leaves helps with conjunctivitis.
- Also known in folk medicine are the healing properties of an ointment prepared from the ashes left after burning the bark. External use of this ointment is indicated for burns.
The fast-growing, unpretentious plane tree is an indispensable attribute of folklore among many peoples of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Chinara, as a symbol of longevity and majesty, is found in songs, legends and folk tales, occupying a worthy place among ancient cult symbols.
There is a wide variety of vegetation in our nature.
There are trees that bear fruit every year, and there are also ornamental trees that create comfort and shade for relaxation in hot weather in the summer.
A very beautiful eastern sycamore tree, let’s take a closer look at it.
Sycamore or plane tree is a deciduous ornamental tree from the Platanaceae family.
It has a powerful table with a circumference of up to 18 meters and a height of up to 60 meters. And from Latin the name of the tree is translated as “wide”.
Sycamore is one of the most ancient and amazing plants, which has a history of several thousand years.
Origin
The genus Planaceae includes eleven evergreen and deciduous trees. The largest number of plane trees grows in North America, Asia and Europe.
In the Caucasus and Turkey you can even find ancient trees that are already about two thousand years old. The height of the tree reaches 59 meters, the circumference of the tree trunk is about 40 meters.
Dimensions
Crown The tree is located low and wide, spreading.
Lower branches inclined to the ground, and curved branches extend from the trunk at right angles.
Leaves Sycamore trees have five lobes, seven lobes, and in young trees, three lobes. The leaves of the tree are about 15 centimeters long and up to 18 centimeters wide.
Fruit. The plane tree has its own fruits - these are many nuts that overwinter, and then, when winter ends, they break up into small nuts.
Over the course of a year, they ripen and split into small fruits, which are carried by the wind. Such small nut-like fruits are called plane trees.
Externally, the plane tree is very beautiful, and photographs do not always convey the leaves and its crown, its magnificent appearance.
Therefore, gardeners love the plane tree; it is very decorative. In the wild, plane trees grow on river banks, in valleys, and forests.
Care
The eastern sycamore is a tree that grows quickly.
Planting with seeds
To overwinter a tree, you need to prepare mulch, which consists of pine branches and sawdust or leaves. The eastern sycamore can adapt to different habitats, even urban conditions.
What is important is that the plane tree is not afraid of pests and is not susceptible to various diseases.
Therefore, the most important thing in caring for a plane tree is abundant watering and planting in a place with good lighting!
Top dressing
Plane tree is distinguished by peeling bark, which requires special attention to monitor the integrity of the bark.
Otherwise, pests may enter through wounds on the bark, and the sycamore tree may become sick.
If you have experience in planting sycamore trees using cuttings and layering, you can use this method. Everyone uses a more convenient and accessible method for planting.
If everything happens correctly and the plane tree is properly cared for, then the plane tree will grow for hundreds of years and delight with its beauty, providing coolness with the help of the shade of its powerful crown.
What is a plane tree or, in other words, a sycamore tree, which belongs to the deciduous ornamental plants of the Platanaceae family (platane). Endowed with a strong large trunk, with a diameter of about 18 m. It can reach a height of up to 60 meters. From Latin “platos” is translated as wide. In Turkey and Persia, the plane tree is usually called plane tree.
Description and characteristics
Sycamore in the park
You can meet this frost-resistant, fast-growing tree anywhere in the world. In countries where a warm climate prevails, a dense, wide crown saves both city dwellers and rural residents from the scorching rays of the sun.
The tree blooms in early spring and pleases others with its flowering for a relatively short time. You can see flowers on a tree, collected in groups of 3-6 pieces, from April until June.
The oriental tree contains flowers of different sexes, which are collected in different inflorescences.
Thus, male inflorescences, which include from 2 to 6 flowers, are colored in yellow-green shades, while female inflorescences are collected in crimson inflorescences with 2-5 flowers.
Plane trees for the city
The Chinara tree gets along well in areas with polluted air, but at the same time it sheds the top layer of bark. Once this process begins, large plates fall off the tree, leaving behind light yellow, yellow and gray areas. This allows the tree to free itself from clogged parts that prevent it from being saturated with oxygen, which leads to the opening of the respiratory pores.
You can see lichen on the city plane tree, which shows that the environment is polluted.
Myths and legends
Throughout the planet you can find a wide variety of plants, which are described in various chronicles. Sycamore is a historical representative, also related to such plants, since the history of this culture begins about 2 thousand years ago.
There is a story that tells about the gardener of the English king Charles 1. John Tradescant, as he was called, often traveled to the New World from 1642 to 1654, from where he once brought three different trees, including Platanus. Since some specimens of this tree have been growing in the British Isles for more than 300 years, we can assume that this story is true.
In ancient times the tree was called " eastern maple" The reason for this was a sycamore leaf, which is very similar to maple leaves. But don’t think that these are the same tree. The sycamore differs from the maple in its large size and long lifespan, and is also one of the most gigantic trees on the entire planet. Once upon a time it was possible to come across trees whose size could be shocking, since about 100 people could hide under the spreading dense crown of such a plane tree. Many poems, verses and stories were written about the plane tree in which these immense trees had their own names and names.
What types of plane trees can you find?
Sycamore sycamore
spotted trunk
In total, there are several deciduous and evergreen specimens in the plane tree genus.
The largest number of representatives can be found in North America, Asia Minor and Europe. In the Caucasus you can see trees whose age is approximately 2 thousand years.
But the oldest tree of this species, which is about 2300 years old, grows in Turkey. The height of this specimen exceeds 42 meters, and the circumference of its trunk is wider than 13.5 meters.
Decorative forms of plane tree that are especially popular are:
- pyramidal
- variegated
- grape-leaved
- Suttner
There are about 10 varieties of this plant found in the world.
Eastern sycamore
A tall deciduous tree, the height of which varies from 25 to 30 meters, and the trunk diameter can be about 12 meters. The widely scattered and rather loose crown is located quite low. Winding branches diverge from the powerful trunk to the sides at right angles. The lower branches reach towards the ground.
Chinara western
This deciduous species is common in North America. It can reach a height of up to 35 meters, the bark has a light shade. It has amazing frost resistance and is able to cope with temperatures of about -35 degrees. It is not picky about the composition of the soil, but it loves moisture. Drought can be fatal for this tree.
Common view
A hybrid based on the eastern and western plane trees. Its height can reach 40 meters. Endowed with a wide trunk and a rounded crown. It is not difficult to propagate and grow this species. Found in Europe and America.
What are "chinariki"? These are the fruits of the plane tree, which are quite tasty and edible, and are called by an affectionate nickname - small “plane trees”.
How to properly plant and care for a tree
Chinariki
These trees are planted in autumn and spring. Chinara will grow well in sunny areas. It is a warm and moisture-loving tree. But at the same time, plane tree does not require any special soil.
Advice! But if you want the tree to grow better, plant it in an area with loose, mineral-rich soil, which should be regularly watered abundantly. With the onset of intense summer heat, increase watering.
In order to enjoy plane trees in central Russia, you need to find species that best tolerate frost. In the southern regions, it is best to plant trees near bodies of water.
Regular pruning is essential for the tree. Thanks to this procedure, you can get rid of damaged shoots. You also need to trim the crown in order to give it a decorative look.
Sycamore does not need mineral fertilizers. Of course, a young plant will respond well to such feeding, but there is no need to over-saturate the soil with minerals. Chinara feels great if the soil is drained and can allow oxygen to pass through.
How does one cope with winter?
With the onset of winter, almost all varieties, shedding their foliage, still remain beautiful and do not lose their unusualness. The tree trunk with its knots visible also looks unforgettable. The bark peeling off in uneven plates reveals all the mystery of the tree.
Among the many varieties, there are also varieties that do not tolerate frost well and need to be prepared for wintering. Using pine branches, sawdust or leaves, mulch the roots of the plane tree. This is a tree that can easily adapt to any place and get used to even polluted oxygen.
How does it reproduce
Most novice gardeners are interested in how propagation occurs. There are the following ways by which you can increase the number of plane trees:
Self-seeding
A variant that a tree uses to reproduce in its natural environment. Here you will not make any effort, because the sycamore that produces the fruits from which the seeds fall out will do everything himself.
How to grow sycamore from seeds.
Sycamore fruits
One of the most popular types of reproduction.
With the onset of autumn, it is necessary to collect velvet nuts and place them in a fabric bag, which must be buried in the ground. The temperature at which the seeds need to be kept in this state should not fall below 0, but also not exceed 10 degrees.
Vernalization is the name of this unusual procedure, which allows you to harden and disinfect seeds.
Once the process is complete, you can plant the seeds in separate, well-drained pots.
When the seedlings begin to sprout, do not forget to provide them with moderate watering.
Plane trees planted along a rural road in France. Often these majestic trees decorate the streets of large cities, harmoniously combining with ancient architecture.
This plant is widespread in Europe and North America. A variegated trunk interspersed with light green and gray colors, dense capitate inflorescences and palmate-lobed leaves give the plane tree a special attractiveness.They say that from their trips to the New World in 1642 and 1654. King Charles I's gardener John Tradescant brought many new plant species, including the tulip tree (Magnolia family), red maple and sycamore. Since some plane trees growing in the British Isles are over 300 years old, this may confirm the above fact.
The sycamore, a hardy, fast-growing tree, is found in both urban and rural areas throughout the world. In southern countries, its thick, wide crown serves as a refuge from the scorching rays of the summer sun.
Sycamore (Platanus) is a genus of trees in the plane tree family (Platanaceae), including 10 species. The homeland of the eastern plane tree, or plane tree, (Platanus orienlalis) is the Mediterranean, the Caucasus and Central Asia; American plane tree, or sycamore, (Platanus occidentals) is a native of eastern North America. Despite the fact that this species was first discovered in Virginia around 1640, it is still quite rare in Europe. At the same time, the American sycamore is often confused with the more common sycamore, or false sycamore maple.
In autumn, the large palmate-lobed leaves of the sycamore tree become dazzlingly golden.
In city parks and public gardens in Europe, plane tree, brought from the Mediterranean countries in the 16th century, usually grows. Maple-leaved sycamore, or hybrid (Platanus acerifolia, Platanus hybrida), is a hybrid of the two above-mentioned species, combining the characteristics of both.
Peeling bark
The sycamore's amazing resistance to air pollution is due to the periodic peeling of the outer layer of bark in the form of large, irregularly shaped plates, exposing the inner areas of light yellow, yellow and gray. Thus, the plane tree prevents dirt and soot from clogging the vital respiratory pores of the trunk, while many other trees cannot cope with this serious environmental problem and die.Peeling of the bark occurs irregularly and is associated with the activity of dividing cambium cells located between the wood and the phloem. Changes in the activity of the cambium cause the appearance of growth rings on a cut of wood. These cells play an important role in transporting water, nutrients and mineral salts to the branches and leaves of the tree.
Heroic strength
An increase in the cambium layer, especially in the summer months, promotes the growth of sycamore and the formation of lignin, an organic polymer compound found in the cells of vascular plants. The deposition of lignin in cell membranes causes lignification of cells and increases their strength. However, the strength of sycamore wood, some species of which can reach heights of more than 35 m, is determined mainly by the heartwood of the inner layers of the trunk, consisting of dead cells. Moreover, even in old trees, moisture is present not only in the young outer rings, but also in the core itself.Small unisexual sycamore flowers are collected in dense capitate inflorescences on long peduncles. In the plane tree, like most broad-leaved trees with a dense, wide crown, growing in a temperate climate zone, they are hardly noticeable. The plane tree does not bloom for long, usually in early spring.
Flowers of both sexes bloom on the same tree, forming different inflorescences. In the maple-leaved plane tree, yellowish-green male inflorescences consist of 2-6 flowers, and crimson female inflorescences consist of 2-5. Chinar flowers, like other species, appear in April-June and are collected in inflorescences of 3-6 pieces.
Deep in the forest, a pair of young gray squirrels built a nest in the hollow of an old, but still strong plane tree.
The fruit of the plane tree - a multi-nut, about 2.5 cm in length - remains on the tree all winter and breaks up in the spring into individual nuts, carried by the wind. The seeds have a conical top and long hairs. However, most often the surrounding area is colonized by other, more “aggressive” tree species, such as sycamore and ash, the seeds of which are also carried by the wind.
Tree-city dweller
Sycamore is not demanding on soil fertility, so it feels great on the streets of big and small cities. However, it requires care: special pruning of the branches allows you to reduce the weight of the crown and maintain the natural shape of the tree.Despite pruning, urban sycamores tend to grow very quickly. Even the largest and oldest trees are constantly increasing in diameter.
Mature sycamore has very hard wood, can withstand strong winds and is rarely susceptible to infection. Sometimes anthrax can affect young shoots.
Winter handsome
During the winter months, most varieties of sycamore, even after the deep-lobed leaves have fallen and pruned, retain their attractiveness.In winter, the strong trunks are especially beautiful, through the thin bark of which the rounded mounds of knots are visible, and the peeling bark continues to expose the variegated inner layers.
Lichen test
Unlike sycamore, lichen - a group of primitive organisms that are an association of fungi with algae (green or blue-green) - grows extremely slowly and dies in areas with high levels of air pollution with sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen compounds.An urban plane tree covered with overgrown lichen is a rather rare phenomenon, but the absence of lichens on other trees indicates air pollution with harmful substances.
