Thread: London Plane Recovery

Some nice size peices there DJ

Hmm, that is a big beast

I was surprised when I used London Plane, it looked plane and boring to start with, but in finishing it showed beautiful oak like grain.

Originally Posted by dai sensei

Hmm, that is a big beast

And the tree is big too!

Are you bringing that to 's?

Originally Posted by Pagie

Are you bringing that to 's?

it's not mine

Our suburb has been plastered with these trees and they are often planted in the most inappropriate places where they grow like weeds. However, after seeing their inner gizzards I might have to look at them in a new light!

Further to BobL's post, I believe they are one of the worst trees for people who suffer from hayfever, and whole suburbs are being filled with them. Slab the lot of them, I say!

Originally Posted by Willy Nelson

Further to BobL's post, I believe they are one of the worst trees for people who suffer from hayfever, and whole suburbs are being filled with them. Slab the lot of them, I say!

A real estate agent who is not resident but owns several houses in our street ran a campaign to have our peppermits, jacarandas and other trees replaced with Plane trees as they would grown quicker and he thought that would raise property values. He very quickly managed to get the backs up of SWMBO and several other residents who suffer from hay fever and a counter campaign ensued. We won! - but only just.

I didn't know about the hay fever issue, but London Plane is commonly planted as a street tree as it performs well in that situation. It doesn't require much water, is fast-growing and smog tolerant. However all that is slightly diminished by the requirement to lop fairly regularly.

Where I used to live in the Upper Hunter Valley it was a favourite amongst the horse studs as part of their beautification programmes. It is an impressive species in that regard and looks good.

Regards
Paul

They're planted throughout Melbourne extensively, particularly in the older estabished burbs of the early 1900 thru to say 1960 and I've noticed that they're making a bit of a comeback in some of the newer estates.

It is also interesting to note, that the street lined trees that get regular lopping done, don't seem to get massive growth in the barrel but in trees planted at the same time and don't get lopped, have massive barrels such as the one I collected above.

I was also part of a group that milled a London Plane in the suburb of Hawthorn from a back yard about ten yrs ago, the barrel on that was about 1.5mt across x 5mt long and it had some of the nicest colours and figuring that I've ever seen in London Plane. I did managed to score a tiny bit of this timber and made a chopping board for my mum, I'll take some pics next time I visit if I remember to, also think I still might have some scraps here, I'll have to check.

Why, when I saw the thread title, did I think someone was in England?

Looking at the first photo had me saying, what the?

Cheers

Originally Posted by Willy Nelson

Further to BobL's post, I believe they are one of the worst trees for people who suffer from hayfever, and whole suburbs are being filled with them. Slab the lot of them, I say!

Is the hayfever issue from the live tree, say from pollen or such as opposed to working the wood


Pete

Originally Posted by jemijona

Why, when I saw the thread title, did I think someone was in England?

Looking at the first photo had me saying, what the?

Cheers

London Plane is a hybrid of the Plane tree (Planus Occidentalis). This is one at Heathrow .

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by pjt

Is the hayfever issue from the live tree, say from pollen or such as opposed to working the wood


Pete

"However, it has a number of problems in urban use, most notably the short, stiff hairs shed by the young leaves and the dispersing seeds; these are an irritant if breathed in, and can exacerbate breathing difficulties for people with asthma."

Quoted from Wiki. It does not refer specifically to hay-fever, but possibly if you are susceptible it will be a problem.

Regards
Paul