Persian Ironwood, Small — Fall '26

Almost nobody grows Parrotia as bonsai. It is a landscape tree — planted to line a driveway, not to sit in a pot — and Milton spent several years proving it belongs in one. Leaves open purple, mature green edged in purple, and finish the year in four colors at once. What it is — A Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica), grown and trained by hand so each tree keeps its own character rather than being forced to a template. Why you won't see another — The bonsai world stays close to pine, juniper, maple and elm. Parrotia is grown as a landscape tree, so almost no one has trained one. Milton planted these several years ago to find out whether the species would take to a pot. It does. The foliage — New leaves emerge rich purple-burgundy, mature to deep green with vibrant purple edges, then turn in autumn to yellow, orange, burgundy and red, often all on the same tree at the same time. What it comes in — Planted in a 10" x 7.75" Yixing clay pot with our patent-pending water-retaining base, so a missed morning of watering won't cost you the tree. Size — Approximately 12" wide and 11" tall, in a pot 10" long x 7.75" wide x 2.75" high. Clipped a few times a season, it holds at roughly 15–18". Bark and winter — As the tree matures the bark exfoliates into a mosaic of gray, tan, silver and brown. Crimson stamens open on bare wood in very early spring, before any leaf, above a silhouette of vertical branching that reads like a flame. Limited — Part of our Fall '26 release. Grown and trained at our nursery in Pescadero, California.