Platanus orientalis seed
LATIN NAME: PLATANUS ORIENTALIS
COMMON NAME: Oriental Plane
Along the rivers and the old town squares of the east, the oriental plane grows as a massive, long-lived, deciduous tree with the large, maple-like, deeply lobed leaves and the flaking bark that patches the trunk in pale greens and browns, the round, bristly ball-fruits hanging singly or in pairs through the winter. In time it steadily becomes a rounded crown, reaching 5-10 metres. It thrives in the sun and the deep, rich, well-watered ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The oriental plane appears in the studies of the great shade trees of the old world, its lobed leaves and its patched bark keeping it in view in the work on the street and square trees of the Mediterranean and the long-lived trees of the eastern cities. The research looks at the way the flaking bark renews the trunk, the ball-fruits break up in the wind, and the seed biology of the small, tufted seeds.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the large garden and the park, the oriental plane spreads the vast, cooling crown that has shaded the squares and the courtyards of the east for thousands of years. The flaking bark keeps the trunk clean, the dense shade holds the summer heat at bay, and the tree makes the fine avenue tree, the shade tree and the historic tree of the grand garden. It is a tree for the open, deep, rich and well-watered place.
To grow the Oriental Plane from seed, rub the seeds from the dried balls and sow them on moist seed compost.
Rub the seeds from the dried balls and sow them on moist seed compost, and keep the young planes in the open, sunny spot. The lobed leaves unfold with the warm season.
LATIN NAME: Platanus orientalis
COMMON NAME: Oriental Plane, Chinar, Oriental Planetree
The oriental plane is one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world, and it has shaded the ancient cities of the Mediterranean for more than two thousand years. It puts on growth and becomes a low, spreading mat, up to a metre tall. In autumn the leaves turn rich shades of amber, yellow and blood red, and the tree bears hanging clusters of round, bristly fruiting heads. It is a tree of rivers, springs and ancient squares, tough, majestic and deeply loved.
The oriental plane belongs to the plane family, Platanaceae, and it is native from the eastern Mediterranean to Iran. It grows wild along rivers and streams, and it has been planted for millennia around temples, springs and public squares across Asia and the Mediterranean.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing an oriental plane from seed is easy and very rewarding. The seeds sit inside the round, bristly fruiting heads, and they germinate readily in cool, moist conditions. Crush the heads to release the seeds in spring, sow them in pots of free-draining compost, cover them lightly, and keep them cool, bright and evenly moist. Germination usually begins within two to four weeks. Pot the seedlings on as they grow and plant them out in a sunny spot in deep, reasonably moist soil. A seed-raised plane will grow quickly into a majestic, long-lived tree.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The oriental plane has a rich and fascinating record in both historical and scientific research. Because it has been cultivated for more than two thousand years, it has been studied in historical and archaeological research, and ancient planted specimens are known across Asia, including trees in Kashmir and Iran that are centuries old, some treated as landmarks. In horticulture, the tree has been studied for its cultivation, its longevity and its value as a shade and avenue tree, and it is one of the parents of the London plane, the great city tree, so it has been studied in breeding and genetics. The tree has also been studied in ecology for its riverside habitat, and its striking bark and autumn colour have made it a subject in ornamental horticulture research. For a tree of such history and such presence, the oriental plane has an exceptionally rich record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the oriental plane is a generous tree. Its flowers feed bees and other insects, its fruiting heads and seeds feed birds and small mammals, and its vast canopy gives shade, shelter and nesting sites for a great range of wildlife.
Its economic value is real and historic. The timber is hard, fine-grained and durable, used for furniture and other work, and the tree is one of the great shade and avenue trees of the world, planted around temples, springs and squares for millennia, while it is also a parent of the London plane used in modern city streets. For a grower, the oriental plane is a tree of rare presence and history, and for a gardener it brings the timeless character of the ancient Mediterranean.
Plant name – Platanus Orientalis Common name – Oriental Planetree, Platanus, Chinar Plant type – Tree Vegetation type – Deciduous Leaf – Maple-like
The species name derives from its historical distribution eastward from the Balkans, where it was recognized in ancient Greek history and literature. Following Greek usage it is called platane or related names in continental Europe. The tree is capable of being grown in most temperate latitudes, though it benefits greatly from warm summers. As a very large and wide tree with broad, thick leaves that tend to orient horizontally, it is especially prized for the shade and coolness it provides during the hot season. The most famous Oriental Planetree is the Tree of Hippocrates under which, according to the legend, Hippocrates of Kos (considered the father of medicine) taught his pupils the art of medicine. The Platanus in Kos has a crown diameter of about 12 metres, said to be the largest for a plane tree in Europe