Parrotia persica Persian ironwood

Persian ironwood, Encina Hall. Sairus Patel, 4 Nov 2023

A small deciduous tree noted for yellow leaf color in fall, changing to crimson. The ovate, almost sessile, paper-thin leaves, 4 inches long and a little less in width, have a crenulated edge that sometimes culminates in a pointed tip. The clustered flowers are noted for red anthers. The tree has nothing to do with parrots; it is named for naturalist J. J. von Parrot, who is noted as the first person recorded (1829) to have climbed 14,000-foot Mount Ararat (since Noah landed there!).

As you enter the courtyard behind Encina Hall by its east entrance, head right and there at the corner of the building find two, planted in 2019. Two others are at 710 Frenchmans Road, to the right of the driveway near Mayfield Avenue, about 60 feet in. A row of four about 15 feet tall grew along the north side of Herrin Hall before that building was replaced by the Computing and Data Science Building. A multitrunk specimen is at 413 Ferne Avenue, Palo Alto, to the left of the driveway.

Name derivation: Parrotia – For W. Parrot (1792–1841), German naturalist; persica – of Iran.