London Plane Tree - poisonous?

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HashRouge

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There is a very large London Plane Tree at one end of one of my summer paddocks. Ponies don't currently have access to it as they have been grazing the other part of the field, but I'd like to give them the full paddock this weekend. However, I can't find any definitive information about whether London Plane trees are potentially harmful. I know it's in the sycamore family but that's it. Googling just brings up threads on forums and they don't really seem to know either! Do I assume it's okay or not take the risk? There have been ponies in these paddocks before, which suggests it should be okay. Anyone know?
 
As not toxic to humans... Not sure that helps overmuch. Its not a sycamore - which is Acer sp but Plantanus sp. Although some historians consider it was originally an out cross from America Sycamore (which is an Acer sp) not everyone agrees with that. Blue Cross do not list it as a species linked to Atypical Myopathy - but that research is still relatively new.

OP - I think your origional research is right and that basically people don't know. Some cultivars do cause hay fever / respiritory allergic reactions in humans. But there are no recorded animal toxicities. On the basis that you know there have been horses on that lower section without issue I would say you are probably fine. But if you would worry overmuch about it then just tape that section off.
 
The London plane is a hybrid of a plane with a maple (usually described as platanus × acerifolia).

The leaves look like maple, but then this is true of the platanus occidentalis, commonly called an American sycomore, and this is probably where the confusion comes from. The fruit are definitely like those of the platanus, nothing like maple "helicopters".
 
Errin Paddywack said:
Only under the Non Toxic section. Interestingly and goodness knows why but the Toxic section includes Nettles?
Click to expand...

I understand that some horses react very badly to nettles (sting, rather than ingested). Goodness knows if they were poisonous to eat, all mine would have been dead years ago. If they had their way, they'd live on an exclusive diet of nettles, thistles and willow twigs.
 
I thought you guys would probably come up with the same answer as me. I think I'll let them graze the grass down and then fence it off again so that they're less likely to eat the leaves if they get hungry, just in case.
 
The thing is... as soon as someone official says "its not poisonous..." they open themselves up to any number of probably spurious lawsuits hoping for an out of court settlement. There are no recorded cases of London Plane causing poisoning in equids. That is the best we are going to get. And I absolutely understand - as a scientist - that this is not good enough. Until 18 - 24 months ago there was no recorded cases of Acer Sp leading to atypical myopathy either. But we now understand, through peer reviewed literature, that this may be the case.

Life isn't certain. If they were mine - I'd let them graze. See what the leaft fall was like. Decide if I wanted to clear it. And fees herbs to support immune defense and the liver.
 
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