At first glance, laypeople can easily mistake a plane tree for a maple tree. It is the similarity of the leaves that causes the confusion. Only at second glance do subtle differences become visible. Not just with the leaves!
What are the differences between plane trees and maples?
Plane tree and maple differ in leaf shape, inflorescence, fruits and bark: plane tree leaves usually have three lobes, maple five; Plane tree flowers form spherical inflorescences, maple flowers are arranged in umbels or panicles; Plane trees bear spherical collective nut fruits, maples bear winged split fruits; Plane tree bark peels off in pieces, maple bark thickens and furrows.
Ancestry
The similar appearance of the leaves suggests that these two tree species are related. But no trace of it! The plane trees have their own family of plane trees, which consists of a single genus. The maple belongs to the subfamily of the horse chestnut family, which in turn belongs to the soap tree family.
leaves
The leaves of both tree species are about the size of a palm, green and multi-lobed. The pointed lobes are similarly shaped in both species. In particular, the sycamore tree and the Norway maple tree have many similarities. However, if you look at the details of the leaves, several differences become apparent:
- A plane tree leaf usually has three lobes, the maple tree has five
- on the maple, the lower part of the leaf extends around the stem
- the leaves of the plane tree grow alternately
- the leaves of the maple grow oppositely
- Maple leaves have a more intense autumn color
Flowers and fruits
The differences are even greater in the flowers, which appear at about the same time. While plane tree flowers are arranged in spherical inflorescences, maple flowers are arranged on umbels or panicles.
The sycamore fruit is a 2 to 3 cm large ball that becomes rotten in winter and releases the seeds. The maple produces split fruits, each consisting of two winged nuts.
Bark
While the flowering and fruiting period only makes up part of the year, the bark of the tree can tell us at any time whether it is a plane tree or a maple tree. The older the tree, the easier it is to distinguish.
The dead bark of a maple tree turns into bark, which becomes thicker and furrier over the years. The dead bark of the plane tree, on the other hand, remains comparatively short on the trunk or branches. It regularly bursts and falls off in pieces. The mottled pattern of the tree trunk appears underneath, which can be seen from afar.
Tip
If you have a maple tree in your garden that is losing its bark, it is by no means as harmless as the plane tree. There could be a fungal disease behind this that you need to fight.
