The plane tree is planted because it is an imposing tree with lush green leaves. The flowers, on the other hand, are hardly noticeable, but they actually exist. If you take a closer look at the tree in spring, you will definitely spot them easily.

Female flowers are bright red

flowering time of the plane tree

The months of April and May are considered the main flowering period for the plane tree. However, the actual start of flowering varies from region to region. In mild regions, the flowers can appear as early as March. Long-lasting mild temperatures in spring also lead to early flowering.

The flowers sprout at the same time as the leaves sprout. If this happens early in the year and unexpectedly severe frosts come, frost damage is inevitable.

Male and female united on a tree

Each plane tree bears male and female flowers at the same time. This property is referred to in the technical jargon as monoecious separate sexes. The flowers are pollinated by the wind.

appearance of the flowers

Both male and female flowers of the plane tree are inconspicuous, but can be easily distinguished visually. While the male flowers are greenish-yellow in color, the female flowers have a strong shade of red to offer. Less recognizable from a distance is that the number of different petals also differs.

These are further characteristics of the plane tree blossoms:

  • Flowers appear on globular inflorescences
  • the diameter of a female inflorescence is about 2.5-3 cm
  • the males are slightly smaller
  • two or three inflorescences are located on a common inflorescence axis
  • the stem is about 6-8 cm long

Notice:
The male flowers fall off earlier than the female ones. Therefore, both can only be admired together at the beginning of the flowering period.

Flowers follow fruits

Fruit can only form from the female flowers if they have been successfully fertilized. They develop from November and are just as spherical as the inflorescences before them.

During the winter, the fruits become rotten and fall apart. They release mature seeds that can be used for propagation unless the tree is a hybrid.

tips

Wear a face mask when cutting the sycamore, because the leaves and fruits have fine hairs that can be easily detached. If these are inhaled, sensitive people get the so-called sycamore cough, which is comparable to hay fever.

Category:

Trees