|
| Name |
Ornamental
- Parrotia Persica - Persian Ironwood |
| Cultivation |
The
slow growing Persian ironwood is one tough little tree. It is virtually
free of pests and diseases, and tolerates acidic to alkaline soils, heat,
drought, wind, urban air pollution and soil compaction. Best autumn color
is produced on specimens growing in acidic soil in full sun.
Light: Full sun to light shade.
Moisture: Established specimens of Persian ironwood are drought tolerant.
|
| Family |
Hamamelidaceae |
| Genus |
Parrotia
Species: P. persica |
| Synonyms |
Persian
Ironwood |
| Known
Hazards |
None
Known |
| Range |
Persian
ironwood is native to Persia - northern Iran and the Caucasus of Georgia
and Turkey. |
| Height |
Persian
ironwood is a small deciduous tree that grows 15-30 ft in height. |
| Habitat |
Hardy
in Ireland and Britain. |
| Characteristics |
A
stunning specimen tree. It is the foliage of Persian Parrotia which attracts
the most attention, unfolding as reddish-purple young leaves, maturing to
a lustrous, dark green through the summer, and then finally putting on a
brilliant autumn display of various hues of vivid yellow, burnt orange,
and deep, pure scarlet. Even in winter Persian Parrotia is a striking landscape
element, the much-branched canopy and multiple trunks finally able to clearly
display their attractive peeling bark and spectacular form. Trunk and bark
character can be displayed year -round by removing lower branches and foliage.
Can be containerised and is outstanding in any landscape. It is grown for
its distinctive spreading habit, its brilliant autumn foliage display, its
showy exfoliating bark and its curious late winter ruby red flowers. Cultivated
specimens usually have a single, relatively short trunk which forks near
the ground, and a rounded crown composed of wide spreading, horizontal,
arching, or even drooping branches. The leaves of Persian ironwood look
much like those of the related American tree, witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
- they are alternate, coarsely wavy edge toothed above the middle and 3-5
in long. The lustrous dark green leaves turn bright yellow, orange and purplish
red in the autumn. Persian ironwood is attractive when not in leaf, too:
the smooth bark on the trunk and larger branches peels and flakes, creating
a mottled patchwork of green, beige, white and gray blotches. The flowers
are a showy curiosity. They have no petals; what you see are spiderlike
clusters of ruby red stamens borne along the naked branches in late winter,
before the leaves emerge. |
| Edible
Uses |
None
Known |
| Medicinal
Uses |
None
Known |
| Other
Uses |
None
Known |
| Propagation |
Seeds
require pretreatment before they will germinate and still germination may
take more than a year. Best to just plant seeds in containers outdoors in
a cold frame in autumn and then be patient. Persian ironwood is, however,
easy to propagate from cuttings taken in spring or summer and rooted under
mist. |
| Cultivars |
Several
cultivars are available. 'Pendula' gets only 5 ft tall and 10 ft wide with
spreading branches that droop at the ends. |
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