To achieve it, prune a London plane tree in late fall or early winter. Use well-honed blades that are sanitized and make cuts above the old growth. Take out all the young, tip end new season's growth. The gnarled, burled old stems produce an interesting form.

When Should plane trees be pruned?

If you want to promote a tall trunk then the best time to prune a London plane tree is in June, removing the lowest branches. When you are looking to refine the shape of the crown and undertake formative pruning, the best time to do this is between October and February.

How do you look after a plane tree?

Hardy in all but the coldest areas, plane trees grow quite quickly when young. While they can adapt to poor and compacted soils, they prefer a deep moisture-retentive soil in a sunny open position. They require little pruning apart from a little tidying up when young in order to establish a single trunk.