This variant of the oriental plane (Platanus orientalis) can be found at the eastern end of the South Walk where it is clothed in golden leaves.
A native of south-eastern Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus, the oriental plane is a large tree which can exceed 30m in height and attain a girth of 6m. This form, Platanus orientalis f. digitata, is a long-lived tree which will mature to be a fine, large specimen with a wide, spreading canopy. It has the distinctive flaking grey-white bark and ball-shaped hanging fruits typical of the genus. The leaves have three to five deep lobes, hence the name digitata, which means hand-like. It was first described as a distinct form in 1872, though the exact location of this original tree is unknown, but it is thought that the 1872 description was based on a tree grown here in the Botanic Garden.