Arbor Age

Common Name: Persian Parrotia Botanical Name: Parrotia persica Family: Hamamelidaceae Parentage: Introduction 1840 Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8 Height: 20 to 40 feet Spread: 15 to 30 feet Growth Rate: Medium, full size in 30 years Form: Usually grows with several trunks so prune to single stem if tree form is desired, tree form is broad oval in shape Bloom Period: March and April Flower: Crimson, small, no petals but bright red stamens Fruit: One-half-inch long and wide brown capsule Spring Color: Reddish-purple to medium- green in spring Summer Foliage: Dark green in summer, 3 to 4 inches long Autumn Foliage: Yellow, orange and scarlet in autumn Winter Interest: Exfoliating bark with brighter patches enhances interest in the form Bark: Smooth gray trunk exfoliates with age to expose gray, green, white and brown patches under bark Habitat: Species introduced in 1840 from Iran Culture: Well drained, tolerant of most sites once established, prefer loam, slightly acid soil, full sun, pH 6 - 6.5 Pest Problems: Excellent resistance except Japanese Beetle in the South Storm Resistance: Excellent Salt Tolerance: Excellent Planting: Transplant B & B in early spring Pruning: Prune at planting and 3 years later to mature form, prune in winter, raise branches to encourage taller tree Propagating: Seed or softwood cuttings in summer Design Uses: Good street tree for under wires, excellent specimen for residential landscapes Companions: Boltonia, Kalimeris, and Gypsophila all look good with Parrotia Other Comments: It is diffi cult to get a single stem tree from nurseries, arch- ing branches often touch the ground and obscure the beautiful trunk, prune lower branches in winter if a taller tree is desired Available From: Most major nurseries These are the personal observations of the author, living in New England – Zone 6. Len Phillips can be reached via e-mail at lenphillips@on-line-seminars.com Note: ArborAge magazine is not affi liated with the Society of Municipal Arborists or the Urban Tree of the Year selection. Len Phillips did not participate the Urban Tree of the Year selection. strips. Staff there report that it responds extremely well to clearance pruning and has fewer crossing branches than either the straight species or the cultivar 'Ruby Vase'. Branch unions tend to be very strong, and 'Vanessa' doesn't seem to develop the levels of included bark that the staff has observed in other species of columnar trees. Apart from its upright growth habit, Vanessa's suitability for urban use comes from its lack of major pests and its ability to tolerate both dry soils and seasonally wet ones. Renton, Washington Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Man- ager Terry Flatley is a big fan. "We planted 'Vanessa' parrotia as a street tree in 4 x 8 feet cut-outs using tree grates during December of 2011; we have had 100 percent survival to date. They received some supple- mental watering between June and September (our driest season) at the rate of once per two weeks and they showed little or no stress. We also planted one at a different site that, unlike the others, did not receive supplemental watering, and even this tree has survived nicely. With its upright habit, 'Vanessa' fi ts nicely in our downtown area with zero building setbacks and along the curb-line. I plan on using more of them in the future based upon this trial planting and appreciate Vanessa's tolerance for dry, hot urban conditions." The SMA recognizes the sturdy and enchanting 'Vanessa' Per- sian ironwood for its service to urban forests and encourages its use when matched appropriately to site and as part of a diverse urban tree inventory. Parrotia persica Parrotia persica fact sheet fact sheet Michelle Sutton is editor of City Trees. She can be reached via e-mail at citytreeseditor@gmail.com. Article provided by the Society of Municipal Arborists. Editor's Note: Arbor Age magazine is not affi liated with the Society of Municipal Arborists or the Urban Tree of the Year selection. www.arborage.com Arbor Age / January/February 2014 7 Photo by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' B y L e n P h i l l i p s , A S L A E m e r i t u s

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