Parrotia persica
Persian ironwood
Common names: Ironwood, Persian witch hazel
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −25 °C
- Pruning
- Feb–Mar
- Flowering
- Feb–Mar
- Spacing
- 400 cm, rows 400 cm
- Water need
- Medium
Photo: Waheed butt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Persian ironwood, botanically Parrotia persica, is a slow-growing, often multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree with a broad, horizontally spreading crown. In gardens it reaches 6 to 10 m in height and 4 to 8 m in width over the years. It is native to the mountain forests on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea in northern Iran and Azerbaijan. The wood is so hard that it gave the tree its name. In late winter, in February and March, small clusters of red stamens appear on the still leafless branches. In autumn the foliage turns yellow, orange and deep red, and with age the bark peels off in plates, creating a pattern of grey, green and cream-white. It is planted as a specimen tree in lawns or near terraces, where it has plenty of room. Narrow-growing cultivars such as 'Vanessa' need less width.
Care instructions
Plant Persian ironwood in spring or autumn in a sunny to lightly partially shaded spot with fresh, humus-rich soil. In full sun the foliage develops its strongest autumn colour. Give it plenty of room: plan for at least 4 m of distance from the house and other woody plants, as it grows wide. Plant it directly in its final location, since larger trees that are transplanted later establish poorly. Water regularly and thoroughly during the first year, and later only during long dry periods. A layer of leaf mulch keeps the shallow roots moist, so do not dig around the trunk. Common mistakes are waterlogging, compacted soil and too little space, because later only pruning can help, and that pruning spoils the tree's shape.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringFeb–Mar
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, loamy, well-drained, nutrient-rich
The Persian ironwood loves deep, humus-rich, fresh soil that is loose and free-draining. It grows on slightly acidic to neutral soil and tolerates a little lime as well. Waterlogging and heavily compacted subsoil do not suit it, and on very dry sand it suffers in heat waves. When planting, mix in mature compost.
Feeding
Light feeder
Months
Mar
The Persian ironwood grows slowly and needs little. In early spring, spread a layer of mature compost under the crown and work it in only at the surface, because the roots lie shallow. After that, a mulch layer of leaves is the best care; it keeps the soil moist and alive.
Pruning
The Persian ironwood needs no regular pruning; its crown builds up harmoniously by itself. If you want to intervene, in late winter before it starts into growth remove dead wood as well as branches that cross or grow inwards. You can take off lower branches to create space under the crown. Hard cutting back is unnecessary and spoils the natural shape.
Overwintering
The Persian ironwood is hardy and needs no protection in the bed. Mulch young trees with leaves in the first winter so that the shallow roots do not freeze through, and tie them to a stake in wind. Older specimens cope with severe frost without help.
Propagation
Methods
- Layering
- From seed
The Persian ironwood can be propagated by layering: in spring, bend a low, flexible shoot down to the ground, nick it lightly, pin it with a hook and cover it with soil. Rooting often takes one to two years. Sowing is possible but protracted: the seeds need a cold spell outdoors and often germinate only after one or two winters. It is best to buy cultivars as ready-grown plants from a nursery.
For your garden
Grow Persian ironwood yourself
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