Leaf
ann2005, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Persian ironwood
Parrotia persica C.A.Mey.
Also known as: Parrotia
Family: Hamamelidaceae
4 to 10 m tall
Planted as a specimen, cool, free-draining soils
Flowering: February – March, before the leaves
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy, to about -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Persian ironwood offers one of the longest and most varied autumn colours of any ornamental tree, with yellow, orange, red and purple often visible at the same time on the same tree for several weeks.
🍃 Leaves
Deciduous, ovate, wavy, turning yellow, orange, red and purple in autumn, often several colours on the same tree
🌸 Flowers
Inconspicuous, without petals, with bright red stamens, appearing before the leaves
🍎 Fruits
Small woody two-seeded capsule
🪵 Bark
Grey, flaking in irregular plates revealing cream, green and brown tones, like a plane tree
🗺️ Distribution
Native to northern Iran; planted in France as an ornamental collection tree
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous early flowering but nectar-rich, a resource for the first bees
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ornamental tree planted for its spectacular, long-lasting multicoloured autumn colour and its decorative bark that peels off in plates
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known
🌿 Other Hamamelidaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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