Plant library · Ornamental & Flowering Trees
Parrotia persica
Persian ironwood is a deciduous ornamental tree that brings structure to a planting plan without the scale of a large shade tree. It reaches about 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide, with early red flowers, orange-red fall foliage, and exfoliating bark that keeps the framework interesting after leaf drop. Use its broad canopy and four-season presence as a focal point rather than as a tightly fitted background tree.
Give Persian ironwood an open position where its branching outline and mature bark can be seen from a path, patio, or frequently used window. It works well as a single lawn specimen or at the back of a generous mixed border, with lower plants kept beyond the eventual canopy edge. Leave a clear approach from one side for pruning and for viewing the trunk; avoid pinching it between a fence and a walk or beneath overhead structures.[1][2]
Plant on 18-foot centers when repeating Persian ironwood in a loose row or grove. Each tree can form a canopy about 20 feet across, so neighboring crowns may eventually meet or overlap slightly at that interval. For a single specimen, reserve a roughly 20-foot-wide planting zone and keep circulation routes outside the canopy allowance, rather than treating the trunk as the tree’s only occupied space.
Site this tree in full sun and provide moderate moisture, especially while it is establishing. A moist but well-drained planting area suits it best, and slightly acidic loam is a useful target where soil choice is flexible. It also adapts to a range of soil textures, so the layout can prioritize drainage and adequate rooting room over creating a specialized bed.[1][2]
The small red flowers arrive from late winter into early spring, before the foliage fills in, so place the tree where an early-season view matters. The canopy provides its strongest color display in fall, then reveals mottled exfoliating bark through winter. Avoid hiding the trunk behind evergreen screening if bark is part of the intended winter composition.
Allow for a slow-building tree rather than expecting immediate canopy cover. Its mature habit can be rounded, spreading, and sometimes multi-stemmed, making side clearance more important than a narrow young nursery outline suggests. If planting near paving, preserve enough open ground for the future crown and maintain a path edge that will not need to be repeatedly cut back.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.