Ironwood Parrotia persica
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Ironwood:
Previously known as:
- Hamamelis persica
- Parrotia siderodendron
- Phonetic Spelling
- par-RO-ti-a PER-si-ka
- Description
-
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.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Biltmore'
broad, dense, vase-shaped, yellow, red, orange, and purple fall foliage - 'JL Columnar' PP#24951 or Persian Spire (trademark)
upright, oval, new leaves purple, green summer, fall foliage orange, red, and yellow - 'Kew's Weeping'
slow-growing, umbrella-like - 'Pendula'
rounded, weeping habit, 5 to 6 feet tall, and 10 feet wide - 'Vanessa'
brilliant red fall foliage, mottled bark patches of green and white
- 'Biltmore'
- 'Biltmore', 'JL Columnar' PP#24951 or Persian Spire (trademark), 'Kew's Weeping', 'Pendula', 'Vanessa'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Biltmore'
broad, dense, vase-shaped, yellow, red, orange, and purple fall foliage - 'JL Columnar' PP#24951 or Persian Spire (trademark)
upright, oval, new leaves purple, green summer, fall foliage orange, red, and yellow - 'Kew's Weeping'
slow-growing, umbrella-like - 'Pendula'
rounded, weeping habit, 5 to 6 feet tall, and 10 feet wide - 'Vanessa'
brilliant red fall foliage, mottled bark patches of green and white
- 'Biltmore'
- 'Biltmore', 'JL Columnar' PP#24951 or Persian Spire (trademark), 'Kew's Weeping', 'Pendula', 'Vanessa'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Parrotia
- Species:
- persica
- Family:
- Hamamelidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast Azerbaijan to Northern Iran
- Distribution:
- Native: Iran and Transcaucasus; Introduced: Great Britain, United States, and Uzbekistan.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a brown, two-valve capsule. When the fruit matures, the pod will open, and it will contain one shiny brown seed.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are 0.5 inches wide, and apetalous with 5 to 15 red stamens and brown bracts. They bloom in late winter and early spring before the leaves emerge.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Papery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Dentate
- Undulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are simple, alternate, oval to obovate-oblong, and measure 2.5 to 4.5 inches long and 1 to 2.5 inches wide. Above the middle of the leaf, the margins are coarsely crenate to dentate and undulate. In the spring the leaves emerge as reddish purple. By summer the leaves are medium to dark green on the upper surface and light green beneath. The fall foliage is bright yellow, orange, to red.
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Green
- Light Brown
- White
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Bark Description:
- The bark on mature trees exfoliates and produces shades of green, white, and tannish-brown.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The twigs are brown and thin.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Patio
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Foundation Planting
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Heat
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
