Tree sponsorship Persian Ironwood // Parrotia persica Persian Ironwood „Vanessa“

Three Persian ironwood trees were planted at the site.

The Persian Ironwood tree is a slow-growing tree that can reach heights of up to 12 meters. It belongs to the witch-hazel family and is native to northern Iran and the central Caucasus. The planted specimens are cultivated varieties and reach a height of 5 to 8 meters. The main branches of younger trees extend upward in a funnel or arched shape and later form a broad crown.

The blooming period lasts from January to March. The purple, globular flowers unfurl before the leaves. A fruit capsule develops from the fruit knot, which, when ripe, opens explosively and ejects the seeds. The autumn color of the leaves is bright yellow, orange, or orange-red. The leaf shape is reminiscent of the leaves of the red beech.

The Persian Ironwood tree has very hard, heavy wood, but it should not be confused with the "ironwood" available in the timber trade, which usually comes from tropical trees. Due to its high density, the wood even sinks in water.

The Persian Ironwood tree is occasionally found in park facilities and in many botanical gardens as a decorative ornamental tree. The specimens planted on the campus have only a minor ecological significance as a cultivated form and non-native species. They provide shelter and nesting habitats.