Identify by feature
Tree or shrub with white blossom in spring: which one is it?
White blossom in March is usually blackthorn or cherry plum, in April wild cherry, bird cherry, pear and plum, and in May hawthorn, whitebeam and rowan.
23 species with this feature
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Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Shrub
Small white flowers, massed on the bare branches in March–April.
Native
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Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna
Broadleaf tree
Clusters of white, strongly scented flowers in May.
Native
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Wild cherry Prunus avium
Fruit tree
White flowers in clusters, in April, just before or with the leaves.
Native
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Cherry plum Prunus cerasifera
Broadleaf tree
White (pale pink in the purple-leaved plum) flowers, single or in pairs, in March, just before or with the leaves.
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Bird cherry Prunus padus
Broadleaf tree
Long hanging spikes of white, strongly scented flowers in April–May.
Native
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Pear Pyrus communis
Fruit tree
White flowers with red anthers in April, a little earlier than apple.
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Plum Prunus domestica
Fruit tree
White flowers in small clusters in April, just before or with the leaves.
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Snowy mespilus Amelanchier lamarckii
Shrub
Clusters of white, star-shaped flowers in April, with the leaves.
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Midland hawthorn Crataegus laevigata
Broadleaf tree
Clusters of white flowers with 2–3 styles, in April–May.
Native
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Crab apple Malus sylvestris
Broadleaf tree
White to pale pink flowers in clusters, in April–May.
Native
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Wild pear Pyrus pyraster
Broadleaf tree
White flowers with purplish-red anthers, in April, before or with the leaves.
Native
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Medlar Mespilus germanica
Fruit tree
Large white flowers (3–5 cm), borne singly at the shoot tips, late May.
Native
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St Lucie cherry Prunus mahaleb
Broadleaf tree
Small, strongly scented white flowers in short, upright clusters of 3–10, in April–May, with the leaves.
Native
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Japanese cherry Prunus serrulata
Broadleaf tree
Pink or white, often double flowers in April (e.g. ‘Kanzan’).
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Magnolia Magnolia
Shrub
Large white, pink or purple tulip- or star-shaped flowers, March–April, before the leaves.
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Apricot Prunus armeniaca
Fruit tree
White to pale pink flowers, single or in pairs, as early as March, before the leaves.
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Almond Prunus dulcis
Fruit tree
Pale pink to white flowers (3–5 cm), single or in pairs, February–March, well before the leaves.
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Cherry laurel Prunus laurocerasus
Shrub
Upright spikes of small white flowers in April–May.
Invasive non-native: do not plantPoisonous
Tip: If it flowers on bare, black twigs, it is usually blackthorn; if it flowers with the leaves and the twigs have thorns, hawthorn. If the flowers hang in long spikes, it is a bird cherry.
Continue in the identification key
Torn between two?
- Blackthorn or hawthorn
- Blackthorn or cherry plum
- Hawthorn or Midland hawthorn
- Wild cherry or sour cherry
- Wild cherry or Japanese cherry
- Snowy mespilus or bird cherry
- Apple tree or pear tree
- Nashi pear or pear
- Plum or blackthorn
- Bird cherry or wild cherry
- Plum or wild cherry
- St Lucie cherry or wild cherry
- Cherry plum or plum
- Bird cherry or St Lucie cherry
- Pear or wild pear
- Apple or plum
- Apricot or plum
- Apple or crab apple
- Apple or nashi pear
- Crab apple or wild pear
- Apricot or almond