Iron Tree Parrotia persica

The Persian ironwood is small to a medium-sized, slow-growing, deciduous tree that grows up to 15 to 30 feet in height and is equally as wide. It has a rounded, upright habit with spreading branches, and will often have several trunks. It may also be grown as a large multi-stemmed shrub that reaches 15 feet in height. From late winter to early spring, the apetalous flowers appear. The flowers have red stamens and brownish bracts. The leaves emerge after the flowers and initially appear reddish-purple. They are oval to oblong and become a glossy medium to dark green during the summer. The fall color ranges from yellow, and orange to burgundy. On mature trees, the bark exfoliates and exhibits patches of green, white, and tan. It provides multi-season interest and is a wonderful and underused tree.

This tree is native to Northern Iran in the lower Alborz Mountains. It has been widely cultivated in Europe and the United States.

The genus name, Parrotia, is in honor of a German naturalist, F.W. Parrot. The specific epithet, persica, means Persian.

The Persian Ironwood prefers full sun, and moist, well-drained, loamy, acidic soils. It will tolerate light shade and is adaptable to many soil types such as clay and sand. It is drought-tolerant and urban pollution tolerant.

This tree is a member of the Hamamelidaceae or witch hazel family. The flowers of this tree are rather insignificant, but the foliage and the bark of this tree more than compensate for its lack of floral display. Other attributes include heat, drought, air pollution, poor soil tolerance, and lack of insect pests and diseases.

The Persian Ironwood is a wonderful underused tree that would be a great substitute for the Bradford Pear in the home landscape. 

Seasons of Interest:

Bark:  Winter     Bloom:  Spring     Foliage:  Spring, Summer, and Fall

Quick ID Hints:

• the bark of mature trees exfoliates and exhibits green, white, and tan patches
• apetalous flowers with red stamens and brown bracts emerge in late winter to early spring
• leaves follow the flower and emerge in shades of reddish-purple and become medium to dark green during the summer and orange to burgundy in the fall

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  This tree or shrub has no serious insect or disease problems.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.