THE LEAFLET

Do you follow us on Twitter? If not, you totally should. Because then you’d be able to witness and take part in the Urban Tree World Cup, the brilliant idea of our friends across the pond at the Arboricultural Association.

Just like our Cherry Blossom Bracket, folks were missing seasonal competitions and were looking for a fun way to involve trees. Plus, with the Olympics, Euro 2020, Wimbledon and countless flagship summer sporting events postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic – the timing for something new was perfect. So the Arboricultural Association put together the first ever World Cup of Urban Trees to fill the void and spark a discussion focused on trees. 32 trees entered, one prevailed. 

The iconic London Plane has been crowned the ultimate urban tree, after winning the final in which over 16,000 votes were cast.

Why does the London Planetree make such an excellent street tree?

Not only do the London planes, as they are sometimes called, tower over the beeches, oaks, lindens, and ash that make up their neighbors, they have the distinct advantage of being able to withstand the stresses of urban life better than their native associates. It is the quality that has made the London plane as popular with U.S. city foresters as it is with tree lovers in England. It is the world’s favorite urban tree because it is tall, big-leafed, hardy and long-lived. Although with their peeling bark and falling leaves they may get a bit messy, London planes are by far the most common tree in London, Paris, Rome, and New York City thanks to their unparalleled ability to filter air pollutants. 

See if you have any London planes on your street with the Urban Forestry Division’s Street Tree map!