Persian ironwood

Iron wood and autumn fire

The Persian ironwood, or parrotia, is a medium-sized deciduous tree of the witch-hazel family, Hamamelidaceae. Its common name comes from the extraordinary hardness and weight of its wood. It has a broad habit, often multi-stemmed, with oval leaves resembling those of a beech. Its most famous feature is the autumn colouring: the leaves turn into a blaze of yellow, orange, red and purple. The bark is ornamental too, flaking in patches to reveal grey, green and pinkish tones, like that of a plane tree.

Origin and habitat

It is endemic to the Alborz mountains, between northern Iran and south-eastern Azerbaijan, in the Caspian region, where it grows in moist forests, particularly in Golestan National Park.

Cultivation

It is a hardy, long-lived tree, prized in gardens for its ornamental value in every season. It wants full sun or part shade and a fertile, well-drained soil, preferably acidic or neutral, cool but not waterlogged. It withstands cold winters well. Its growth is slow, which makes it suitable even for smaller gardens.

Facts and flowering

In late winter, before the leaves, it produces small petal-less flowers with conspicuous tufts of red stamens, like those of its relative the witch-hazel. The wood, so hard it earns the name ironwood, is heavy enough to sink in water.

Care

It needs little pruning. When young it should be watered regularly; once established it is resilient. It is often grown as a single specimen to show off its shape and autumn colours.