driveTREEmap – Tree 14

Pass row of maples on way into Clark Park

Directions

Follow the path you are on past a car parking area until you leave the park on 15th Ave. Check out the interesting residences on this street before heading east until, yes once again, you hit The Drive. Cross over and then climb the steps ahead and follow the path around. We are now entering our last green space of the day, classy Clark Park. On the way up you will pass a row of maples, turn right passing the baseball playing field on your right to where the path splits. Go right – and as you walk along this footpath you will find a row of three of our next featured tree. A very commonly planted city tree: The London Plane.

Planes reaching the sky along the path
in Clark Park

London Plane

Proper Name: Platinus x acerifolia
Common Name: London Plane Tree

Description: This large deciduous tree has a pale grey flaky bark. The leaves are thick and stiff, wide and palm shaped (similar to the maple but not quite). The fruit is like a spiky ball, hanging in pairs on a long stem, which turns from green to brown in winter before breaking up to release many seeds. A good robust city tree the flaking bark sheds any infiltrating pollution.

Defining feature: There are so many – the leaves while like many maples are distinguishable by being wider than they are long. The hanging spiky balls offer an obvious identifier. But perhaps the easiest way to spot a London Plane at all times of the year is to look for the pattern and texture and colour of the flaking bark. On older trees you may have to look upwards to the branches, but somewhere you will spot it.

Bark ID

Their camouflaged bark makes them hard to NOT spot

Name Roots

London because there are so many planted in London, UK. Plane and Platinus comes from the Greek word platanos, which also may have meant broad in reference to the leaf shape. acerifolia means it has an Acer-like (ie maple) leaf. While they are similar hold two side-by-side and you will see they are definitely not the same.

Grand conifers of Clark Park.

Directions back to the start

Take the left fork on the footpath and head down the hill of Clark Park enjoying the stupendous views of this beautiful city. The NW corner will join up with the now familiar Woodland Dr. Four blocks north and then one block east and you have arrived back at Broadway. Congratulations you have done East Van and seen some great trees on the way. Commercial Drive is a great location for dinner and you have earned it. You’re done!

Goodbye Commercial Drive!

The End

Alternatively, head back to Grandview Park or Trout Lake or Clark Park for some of the best locations to enjoy the sunset across the city.

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