Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Platanaceae

Genus:

Platanus

Species:

Platanus racemosa

USDA Symbol:

PLRA

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

3500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

feb,mar,apr,may

Wildlife Benefits

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow, brown

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from the base and root crown after fire or mechanical damage. Thick bark provides some fire resistance.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found along streams and rivers

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Best sown fresh in fall or after cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI