6 months, to diameter, and comprises a dense spherical cluster of achenes with numerous stiff hairs which aid wind dispersal; the cluster breaks up slowly over the winter to release the numerous seeds. The London Plane is one of the most efficient trees in removing small particulate pollutants in urban areas.

It shares many visual similarities with American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), from which it is derived; however, the two species are relatively easy