Side by side
Turkish hazel or hornbeam? How to tell them apart
Corylus colurna · Carpinus betulus
How to tell them apart – Turkish hazel: A hazel as a tree, straight trunk, regular conical crown and nuts in a deeply cut, curly husk; hornbeam: smaller, strongly pleated leaf and nutlets on three-lobed winged bracts.
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How do you recognise them?
- Turkish hazel
- A hazel as a tree: straight trunk, regular conical crown and nuts in a deeply cut, curly husk.
- Hornbeam
- Sharply double-toothed leaf, pleated between the veins; grey, ‘muscular’ trunk.
- Compared with Turkish hazel: smaller, strongly pleated leaf and nutlets on three-lobed winged bracts.
| Turkish hazel | Hornbeam | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 8–12 cm, broadly oval with a heart-shaped base, coarsely double-toothed to shallowly lobed; fairly smooth. | Alternate, oval and pointed, 5–10 cm, sharply double-toothed, with 10–15 pairs of parallel veins between which the leaf is pleated. |
| Flowering | Long yellow male catkins (up to 12 cm) in February–March (February–March). | April–May |
| Fruit | Hazelnuts in clusters, each in a deeply cut, curly and hairy husk; smaller and harder than ordinary hazelnuts. | Nutlets on a three-lobed wing, in hanging clusters. |
| Bark | Pale grey to grey-brown, corky and flaking in small scales. | Grey and smooth, with twisting ridges as if there were muscles underneath. Buds pointed and pressed against the twig. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 15–25 m | Broadleaf tree, 15–25 m, often as a hedge |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, dry | Sun to shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for butterflies and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–March | June–September and November–February |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Hornbeam is native: it feeds more insects and birds than a non-native species. If in doubt, choose this one.
- Turkish hazel (15–25 m) and hornbeam (15–25 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Turkish hazel
- Plant profile: Hornbeam
- Turkish hazel: when and how to prune
- Hornbeam: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.