Persian ironwood, strong wood and even stronger colors!

Parrotia persica, the persian ironwood tree

Persian ironwood is an impressive short tree: colorful as a bonfire in autumn, and very useful hard wood whenever it needs to be chopped down.

Persian Ironwood facts

Name – Parrotia persica
Family – Hamamelidaceae
Type – shrub

Height – 20 to 25 feet (6 to 8 m)
Exposure – full sun to shade
Soil – rather acidic

Foliage – deciduous
Flowering – January to March

Planting Persian ironwood

Planting guide for persian ironwood treePreferably in fall to promote root development before winter.

  • When planting, combine ⅓ heath with your garden soil.

If you live in an area with rather warm climate, select a shade-covered spot.

Follow our advice on planting shrubs.

Pruning Persian ironwood

They don’t need any pruning.

If you wish to reduce or reshape the shrub, it’s rather better to wait for the blooming to end, in spring.

Comments about Persian ironwood

Fall habit of parrotia persicaParrotia persica, which is also called “Ironwood”, can be considered a small tree, but the size still reaches up to 25 feet.

Its colors are magnificent in fall. The leaves then switch to fiery hues of yellow, red and orange.

It is quite easy to grow and is very enjoyable when planted as as a standalone.

Smart tip about Persian ironwood

Mulch prepared from maritime pine bark is ideal to retain soil moisture in summer and hinder weed growth.

Ironwood parottia persica facts


Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
CC BY-SA 2.0: Steve Law, Andreas Rockstein, Irma Várnagy