Persian Ironwood, Parrotia persica

tree of the family Hamamelidaceae (Witch hazels, Liquidambar, Persian Ironwood, Parrotiopsis).

Etymology: "Parrotia" comes from the name of its "inventor" the naturalist Parrot (at the beginning of the XIXth century s.); it is named "iron wood" because of its hard wood.
Origin: Iran, Caucasus.
Habitat : it makes the best of limestones.
Form (insulated tree): spread.
Height: often shrub, sometimes tree of 20 m tall.
Its bark exfoliate into small strips, as that of the plane tree, and clears greenish zones.
Deciduous foliage : glabrous, spatulate leaves (broader at the 2/3), irregular form (assymmetrical), smooth margin. They take colour with bright yellow and red blood in autumn.

Flowers appear from February-March, before leaves. They have no petals but only the stamens in small discrete filaments, yellow and red.