Sycamore or London Plane Tree? Can you tell the difference? 

you can see Sycamores from space too in the fall at least on Google maps they are white when looking down

I live in Maspeth NYC. It’s a beautiful neighborhood with a lot of the London plane tress planted along the streets. Some are enormous. I think they are all dying from some fungus that affects them. It’s kind of sad.

I have been curious about what is obviously a tree in the sycamore family for many years. I first observed them in Istanbul in '08, along the main highway that follows the Bosporus west shore. These were very mature trees, perhaps 100 years +??? I then saw trees I believe were the same in Pittsburg, in the Squirrel Hill area that looked identical. Very much like a sycamore, but with the more yellow/olive base color, and what really caught my eye, was the the appearance of the trunks to be "melting" like a candle, near the base of the trees. Like the trunk was sloughing down, or melting near the ground. I'm sorry I have no photos to share, but I have to believe the trees I saw in Pittsburgh and Istanbul must be these London Plane trees. I take it that this became a cultivar that was established around the world, is that the case? Now I am interested in the eastern species that was bred to the American Sycamore to produce the London Plane tree.

Thanks for the info-have not seen both in the same park. Which park near Lake Erie were you at?

Love them both, just curious if either would survive/flourish @ 7200’, Eagle CO. Not worried about the leaves, we’re on 35ac. We are both from IL, thus always trying to grow trees that one does not see in CO. But we fight the various beetles in ash and most conifers. What do you think?

most city trees are london planetree because their roots arent as destructive I think

Sycamore is native and more beautiful