Three Platanus Trees that survived the atomic bombing at Tenma Elementary School in Hiroshima city, Japan.Platanus
Platanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are known as planes or plane trees.They are all large trees to 30–50 m tall, deciduous (except P. kerrii), and are mostly found in riparian or other wetland habitats in the wild, though proving drought-tolerant in cultivation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platanus
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%97%E3%83%A9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%8A%E3%82%B9
This is the famous Hibaku Plantanus Tree which has burned hole. 
On every Hibaku trees, the city of Hiroshima put signs with the names of the trees as well as some history. It says in Japanese, this Platanus was given to the school for the celebration of graduation in 1931. In 1945, August 6th, by the atomic bomb, the whole elementary school buildings burned down and many children as well as teachers got hurt. This Platanus has a scar from the heat rays that became a hole.
The surface of the Platanus Tree which reminds me of the skin of elephants. The discoloration has nothing to do with atomic bomb or radiation. It is characteristic of Platanus Tree.
A Leaf of Platanus.
One hot Summer day 2009, with no school children because of the summer vacation, Tree Dr. Riki Horiguchi starts the pruning. In the picture, Dr. Horiguchi is instructing the pruning from below the tree.
After cutting the branches, they paint liquid medicine so that the cuts heals properly.
Pruned branches on the ground.
They loaded the truck full of pruned branches and leaves.
Before the pruning
After the pruning.
Now the Platanus tree is feeling good from shedding all the excessive branches. Without pruning, the parts of trees can rot since they can not hold the weight of branches.
Afterwords, on the ground, there were bunches of furry balls.
When you open the furry parts, all the hair has seeds.
Now back in the US, I have Platanus Tree seeds.
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