Plane tree

There is a plane tree on the Greek island of Kos called the “Tree of Hippocrates” which has a circumference of over 12 metres and is said to be over 2,000 years old. It stands as the perfect illustration of the incredible resistance of this tree species. Could this be due to the highly specific regeneration process of its bark? At maturity, the bark turns into large scales called rhytidomes which peel off to reveal a new smooth, soft bark. This moulting process inspired Greek mythology to consider the plane tree as a symbol of regeneration.