| A tall tree, 30 - 75' (9 - 23 m), with light mottled bark, found in the canyon bottoms of the Ecological Reserve. Winter deciduous leaves are large, 4 - 10" (10 - 25 cm), with 5 pointed lobes. Found near canyon bottoms below 6500' from the Central Coast Ranges and foothills of the Southern Sierras, through coastal Southern California and into Baja California. Leaves are susceptible to a fungal leaf blight which causes misshapen leaves that sometimes die early, particularly during damp spring weather. In our climate leaves begin to turn brown in late summer, but remain on the tree until January, shortly before new leaves begin to grow. A similar ornamental tree, the London Plane Tree (Platanus acerifolia), is widely planted around buildings and roads on campus. |
