The Igiri Tree, as it is known in Japan, is a very fast growing, horizontally branched, broad pyramidal, deciduous shade tree. This spectacular tree should be much more widely used as a landscape tree in eastern North America. The Igiri Tree is dioecious (separate male and female trees), reaching 30 to 50 feet in height. Its heart-shaped leaves are very large and tropical looking . The foliage is bronze purple at first, turning glossy deep green above and blue-white beneath during summer, persisting very late into the fall though usually remaining green until falling. The attractive foliage is borne on red stalks. The bark is also very attractive, smooth and very light gray like the American Beech. Yellow-green fragrant flowers appear in April and May on panicles up to 12 inches in length, with male (staminate) flowers slightly larger than female (pistillate) flowers. Stunning 1/4 to 1/2 inch berries follow in October and November, turning from purple-red to orange-red, adorning the female trees in clusters resembling loose bunches of grapes, drying to black with age.
