Out on our travels and we spotted this fantastic London Plane in the centre of King’s Lynn
Growing in what first appears to be a graveyard, but is in fact an area of relaid stones which were once laid in a churchyard at The Millfleet
London Planes can generally be found in more urban areas and was ‘discovered' around the middle of the 17th century in London.
It is widely thought to be a hybrid of the Oriental plane and an American Sycamore, two trees which grow on the opposite side of the world. It was named The London Plane after the place the hybrid was first discovered.
Widespread planting took place in the 18th century during a time when there was a Parisian trend for tree lined boulevards. The London Plane is now the most common to be seen in streets and parks across London.
The species has a lifespan of several hundred years and is known for its resistance to pollution, with its bark breaking away in order to help the tree cope with pollution. This also explains the distinctive camouflage style pattern formed on the trunk.
You can also see several London Plane planted in The Walks in King’s Lynn, the only surviving 18th Century town walk in Norfolk.
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