Trade names: Planetree, Sycamore Plane, American Sycamore Origin: Europa Occurence: Europe with the exception of Northern and Northeastern Europe almost exclusively occuring as trees alongside roads and in gardens and parks. No commercial forestry growing and cultivation. Use: Apart from the cluster and burl produced as veneer in two ways: as flat sliced veneers and „snakeskin“ veneers, true quarter-sliced. Architectural wood for furniture and paneling. Character: Heartwood is reddish-grey to brown. Planetrees takes on a wine-red color when steamed. Color variations within one log are possible and cannot be avoided. The snakeskin effect achieved by true quarterslicing is the result of extremely regular pith rays making the veneer very decorative. Particularities: The Planetree in Central Europe is an ornamental tree. The plane trees are characterized by their bark peeling off in more or less large plaques every year, and their flowers and fruits growing in dense, spherical and unisexual heads. The European sycamore shows quite a high resistance to air pollutants, which is certainly one of the reasons for its frequent planting in urban centers and industrial centers. In the Mediterranean, local Platanus orientális is often planted on the squares of towns and cities, much as it is the case here with the Linde. You meet in the cool shade of the Planetree for lunch or dinner.