Flowers:
Green (Yellowish-green monoecious catkins; not ornamentally important)
Foliage:
Purple (Handsome foliage emerges a deep purple in the spring, but eventually fades to a deep green by the end of the summer)
Fruit:
Brown (Three winged nut is edible)
Soil:
Prefers acidic soil, some soil moisture and good drainage to perform best; does not tolerate wet and clay soils
Diagnostic Characteristics:
Leaves simple, alternate, 2-4" long, entire, undulate, acute apex, emerge deep reddish-purple (paler beneath), generally fade to a deep bronzy purple-green by end of summer, glabrous at maturity, silky when young. Petioles can be downy. Buds are long, slender, and pointed with many scales. Fruit is 3-sided nut in prickly husks that ripen in October. Branches long and drooping. Smooth, gray bark that appears wrinkled in some areas, resembling an elephant's hide.
