Chinara, called in botanical science the oriental plane tree (lat. Platanus orientalis), is loved both for its powerful beauty and for the opportunity to hide in the shade created by its thick and voluminous crown on a hot afternoon. Majestic plants - plane trees - are well known to the inhabitants of Transcaucasia, Central Asia, as well as several southern regions of Ukraine. The Apennines and the Balkans, the islands of the Aegean, Cyprus and Crete, the eastern part of the Mediterranean coast, Asia Minor - places where these deciduous trees are found today in the wild.
Eastern plane trees have been cultivated by the inhabitants of the entire Mediterranean since time immemorial. They planted plane trees near streams, wells, springs, next to temples and residential buildings. The ancient Greeks, who treated the tree with special reverence, distributed it during conquests. At the end of the IV century. BC, the Hellenes brought the plant to the Apennine Peninsula. A little time passed, and thanks to the craving for conquests of the ancient inhabitants of the Apennines, the plane tree (the photo is presented inarticle) became known throughout the vast Roman Empire.
Botanical description
Sycamore trees belonging to this species reach a height of 25 - 30 m or more. From a powerful trunk with a diameter of up to 12 m, curved branches extend almost at a right angle. Large, irregularly shaped plates form on the gray, sometimes greenish, bark, which fall off over time, exposing lighter areas. Therefore, the young trunk looks spotty. The dark gray old tree trunk is picturesquely cut with deep cracks.
Sycamore leaves are five or seven lobed, 12 to 15 cm long and 15 to 18 cm wide. It is very similar to a maple leaf. The oblong lobes have notches and several large teeth. The appearance of new leaves covered with white hairs coincides in time with flowering. As it grows, the pubescence disappears, and the color of the crown becomes dark green. In autumn, the foliage turns into amazingly beautiful crimson tones. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, collected in capitate inflorescences. The fruit - a complex nutlet ("chinarik"), remaining to winter on the branches, is a characteristic feature by which plane trees of the species Platanus orientalis are recognized. In spring, "chinariki" fall to the ground and crumble into seeds, ready to germinate in moist soil. The low spreading crown is another sign that distinguishes these mighty trees from other species.
Plane trees belonging to the species Platanus orientalis in landscaping and industrial production
Oriental plane tree quicklygrows, is steady in the conditions of the city, is undemanding to the soil, maintains winter decrease in temperature. It is customary to use it both in single and linear plantings, forming a green tunnel.
A classic example of a linear landing is a shady leafy tent over Pushkinskaya Street in Odessa. Trees of this species are also good for creating a real kingdom of mighty plane trees - a large array or grove. Platanus orientalis, like other species that belong to the monotypic genus Platan, is a valuable tree species that is readily used in shipbuilding, as well as in the manufacture of furniture and parquet.
