New York Survivor

This young Planetree was so green with new bark this cold, wet, spring day, we thought it deserved the honor of being featured as a posting. The London Planetree is a naturally occurring hybrid between the Chinese and America Sycamore. It is one of the hardiest trees and very resistant to pollution, adapting well to New York, where it borders the streets, is rampant in Central Park (one of them is believed to be the oldest tree in the city), is our tallest tree and is the most numerous tree in Brooklyn. We are surrounded by them almost everywhere we go. They grow very quickly and shed their bark in a decorative way - when they expand, the older tan and grey bark peels off, revealing the new green bark. It stands out vividly against other trees even in wooded areas of the parks for it's bark, rather than its flowering or unusual fruit. This one is obviously experiencing an intense spurt of new growth.