# Trees with pastel bark?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-with-pastel-bark/317944>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 21, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-with-pastel-bark/317944 "2005-08-21T01:27:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-with-pastel-bark/317944/1 "2005-08-21T01:27:43Z")

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While in London this month, I noticed trees with a [strange pastel pattern](http://www.maccormack.net/~djm/europepics/IMG_0024.JPG) on their bark. I’ve never seen trees like this in Canada, and I’d like to know what sort of trees they are, exactly. They almost look like they’ve been painted! I saw them in other European cities as well.

Can anyone help me out?

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**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-with-pastel-bark/317944/2 "2005-08-21T01:52:01Z")

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It looks like a [Sycamore](http://dcwi.com/~bmills/trees/Planetree/Sycamore/Sycamore/index.htm).  
[Here’s another](http://dcwi.com/~bmills/trees/Planetree/Sycamore/Sycamore/index.htmS), and [one more.](http://forestry.about.com/library/tree/blsyca.htm)

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**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-with-pastel-bark/317944/3 "2005-08-21T02:13:33Z")

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That looks about right, thanks!

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trees-with-pastel-bark/317944/4 "2005-08-21T03:40:57Z")

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> [@picunurse](#):
>
> It looks like a [Sycamore](http://dcwi.com/~bmills/trees/Planetree/Sycamore/Sycamore/index.htm).  
> [Here’s another](http://dcwi.com/~bmills/trees/Planetree/Sycamore/Sycamore/index.htmS), and [one more.](http://forestry.about.com/library/tree/blsyca.htm)

Very close. Trees in London are likely to be what are called [London Plane Trees,"](http://www.treehelp.com/trees/london-planetree/index.asp)_Platanus acerifolia,_ which is generally considered to be a hybrid between the [American Sycamore](http://www.treehelp.com/trees/london-planetree/index.asp) _Platanus occidentalis_ and the Oriental Plane Tree _Platanus orientalis._ The trunks look much the same, but the trees differ in their seed clusters and leaves. London Plane trees are commonly planted in urban areas in the US, while the American Sycamore is common in eastern forests.