Multi-stem Trees
Parrotia persica 'Vanessa'
Persian ironwood 'Vanessa'
All the fiery autumn colour of Persian ironwood in a more upright, narrower form. Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' is perfect where space is tight.
Spectacular red, orange and gold autumn colour
Upright, narrower habit than the species
Flaking, patchwork bark with age
Tiny red flowers on bare stems in late winter
Please check before you visit. Our nursery is very well stocked, but what we hold changes with the seasons, so this plant may not always be in stock. Enquire before you head over and we will check availability and the sizes we have for you.
At a glance
Type
Multi-stem tree
Foliage
Deciduous
Seasons of interest
Autumn colour, late winter flowers, bark
Eventual size
Typically 6 to 10 m tall, narrower than the species
Position
Full sun or partial shade
Soil
Most well-drained soils
Hardiness
Fully hardy in the UK
Available
A range of sizes and forms. Ask our team for current specimens and pricing.
Why we love it
Persian ironwood has some of the finest autumn colour of any tree, and 'Vanessa' delivers it in a slimmer, more upright shape.
In late winter, tiny crimson flowers appear on the bare stems, and with age the bark flakes into a beautiful patchwork.
How to use it
Ideal for smaller gardens, narrower spaces and formal schemes, or planted in a row as a lighter alternative to pleached trees.
Planting and aftercare
Plant between autumn and spring and water through the first two summers. Little pruning is needed; remove crossing stems in late winter.
See it in person
Every plant at Form is hand-selected, none contains new peat, and nothing beats choosing yours by eye. Visit our Row Town showroom in Surrey, just 30 minutes from London, where our team will show you the best of what is on the nursery right now. We deliver across London, Surrey and the Home Counties, and nationwide.
Walk in any time during opening hours and you will be looked after. If you would like dedicated time with a specialist, book a Genus Bar appointment.
Frequently asked questions
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'Vanessa' has a more upright, narrower habit, so it suits smaller gardens and tighter spaces while giving the same autumn colour.
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Yes, it turns rich shades of red, orange and gold in autumn.
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We keep a very well-stocked nursery, but our stock changes with the seasons, so availability varies. Please email us before you visit and we will check what we have and the sizes available.
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Yes, and we would love you to. Every multi-stem tree is individual, with its own branch structure and character, so we always encourage customers to choose by eye. Our largest specimens are held at our Row Town showroom in Surrey. Walk in any time during opening hours, or book a Genus Bar appointment with one of our specialists. If you can’t visit, we are happy to send photographs of individual trees.
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Yes, we deliver nationwide. Deliveries are arranged by our dedicated in-house operations team, and larger specimens can be offloaded by HI-AB or Moffett where needed. We will always agree the most suitable option with you before delivery.
All our multi-stem trees
Explore every tree in our multi-stem trees collection, or view them all with photographs →
Parrotia persica 'Vanessa'
Can’t see what you’re looking for?
Get in touch and we’ll help you find it. Our nursery is very well stocked and we can source almost any plant through our network of trusted growers. Email info@formplants.com, or send us your whole plant list through our bespoke sourcing service.