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Platanus orientalis
Also called Oriental Plane-tree, Oriental Planetree, Chenar, Chinar, Oriental Plane, Old World Sycamore
A large deciduous shade tree native from the eastern Mediterranean to Iran, often found along rivers and springs, that can reach 30 m or more. It is grown as an ornamental and shade tree and is best in a sunny spot with rich soil.
Platanus orientalis, the Oriental plane, or chinar or booni (also boin), is a large, deciduous tree in the family Platanaceae, native from the eastern Mediterranean to Iran. It typically grows along rivers, streams and springs, and has broad spreading crown, exfoliating bark, deeply lobed leaves and pendent infructescences bearing spherical fruiting heads. It can grow to 30 m (98 ft) or more, and in autumn, its deep green leaves may change to blood red, amber, and yellow. Long cultivated for shade and ornament, and extensive planting since antiquity has made precise limits of its original range difficult to determine.
The tree can be cultivated 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.
It grows best in rich soil in a sunny location and can survive drought well, although young plants appreciate regular watering.
The native distribution is from Italy east through the Balkans, Turkey, and the Caucasus to Iran. As it has been known in cultivation from early times in much of this region it can be difficult to determine if it is truly indigenous in peripheral areas.
Platanus mexicana · American sycamore · California sycamore · Arizona sycamore · Plane
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Platanus orientalis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
