Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' – A Striking Tree with Stunning Foliage and Year-Round Appeal
Parrotia persica 'Vanessa', commonly known as the Persian Ironwood 'Vanessa', is a captivating deciduous tree cherished for its stunning seasonal colour, textured bark, and graceful form. This variety of Parrotia is known for its vibrant autumn foliage, unique winter interest, and compact size, making it a perfect addition to gardens, parks, and urban landscapes.
Seasonal Beauty & Growth
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Spring: In spring, Parrotia 'Vanessa' emerges with rich, dark green foliage that provides a dense canopy. The tree produces small, red flowers that appear before the leaves, offering a soft, understated display. These flowers attract pollinators such as bees, adding early-season interest to the garden.
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Summer: The leaves of 'Vanessa' remain dark green throughout the summer, providing excellent shade and a refined backdrop for other plants. The tree's smooth, grey bark with patches of white adds texture and visual interest, especially in the dappled light of summer.
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Autumn: The true star of this tree's seasonal beauty is the autumn display. Parrotia 'Vanessa' produces a stunning array of colours, ranging from bright oranges and reds to deep purples and yellows. The leaves provide a fiery, multi-tonal display, making it a standout tree for fall.
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Winter: In winter, the tree's smooth, exfoliating bark becomes even more prominent, revealing a mosaic of light grey and white patches. This unique bark adds visual interest to the winter landscape, making Parrotia 'Vanessa' a tree that provides year-round beauty.
Structure & Form
Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' is a small to medium-sized tree, typically growing to a height of 6–8m (20–26ft) with a spread of 5–7m (16–23ft). It has a rounded, upright form with a dense, branching habit that creates a beautiful, compact canopy. The tree’s elegant structure and beautiful bark make it an excellent choice for both formal and informal landscapes, where it can be appreciated throughout the year.
Ideal for Various Landscapes
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Small Gardens & Urban Spaces: Due to its relatively compact size and striking appearance, 'Vanessa' is ideal for small gardens, courtyards, and urban landscapes where space is limited but impact is desired.
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Specimen Tree: Its vibrant autumn colours, unique bark, and graceful form make 'Vanessa' an excellent specimen tree, creating a focal point in any landscape.
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Mixed Borders & Woodlands: Parrotia 'Vanessa' works well in mixed borders or naturalistic woodland settings, where it can blend harmoniously with other trees, shrubs, and perennials.
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Pollinator Gardens: The early spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators, adding ecological value to gardens that support wildlife.
Growing Conditions & Care
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Position: Thrives in full sun to partial shade. For the best autumn colour, plant in a sunny location, though it can tolerate some light shade.
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Soil: Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil, though it can adapt to a range of soil types, including loam and clay soils.
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Hardiness: Fully hardy, Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' is well-suited to temperate climates and can withstand cold winters, making it a great choice for regions with frost and cold temperatures.
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Maintenance: Low-maintenance; prune in early spring to remove dead or damaged branches and maintain the tree’s shape. Its resistance to pests and diseases makes it a trouble-free tree, requiring minimal care once established.
Why Choose Parrotia persica 'Vanessa'?
Parrotia 'Vanessa' is a beautiful, multi-season tree that offers vibrant autumn colour, textured bark, and year-round interest. Its compact size, striking foliage, and unique bark make it an excellent choice for small gardens, urban planting, and mixed borders. With minimal care requirements and maximum visual appeal, it is a tree that will bring lasting beauty and structure to any landscape.
Perfect Plant Combinations
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Other Ornamental Trees – Pair with Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple) or Malus (Crabapple) for a mix of contrasting foliage colours and textures.
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Flowering Shrubs – Combine with Rhododendron or Viburnum for complementary flowering periods and vibrant contrasts.
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Perennials & Grasses – Underplant with Hostas, Heuchera, or Astilbe for contrasting foliage and texture.
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Autumn Bulbs – Complement with Colchicum (Autumn Crocus) or Crocus for a late-season splash of colour as the tree's foliage changes.
Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' is a truly stunning tree that provides year-round beauty, from its early spring flowers to its dramatic autumn display and winter bark interest. Whether as a specimen tree or part of a larger planting scheme, 'Vanessa' adds elegance and vibrancy to any landscape, with minimal maintenance required to keep it looking its best.
Does the height include the pot?
No, we measure from the top of the pot to the tip of the plant except for some of the instant planted screens, in this case it will be stated in the description
How long does delivery take?
Most orders are delivered in just a few days, Smaller items are often sent with Parcelforce on a next day service, Larger items should allow up to 10 days due to the size of the items they often have to be sent on our own transport.
Where will you leave my plants?
We will leave your order at the front of your property, Parcelforce may
leave your items in a safe place if you let us know, Pallet couriers
will require a flat hard surface to deliver to, no gravel or soil, a
driveway or parking spot would be best. Most importantly Deliveries by
pallet courier will require access for a large truck (bin lorry sized)
to get near the delivery point. Deliveries sent on our own transport may come in a small van or larger truck.
