Side by side
Hazel or winter hazel? How to tell them apart
Corylus avellana · Corylopsis
How to tell them apart – hazel: long, hanging catkins and hazelnuts; winter hazel: shrub with hazel-like leaves that bears hanging clusters of pale yellow, fragrant bells on bare twigs in March–April.
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How do you recognise them?
- Hazel
- Round, softly hairy leaf with a short pointed tip; yellow catkins in winter, and hazelnuts.
- Compared with winter hazel: long, hanging catkins and hazelnuts.
- Winter hazel
- Shrub with hazel-like leaves that bears hanging clusters of pale yellow, fragrant bells on bare twigs in March–April.
| Hazel | Winter hazel | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, almost round with a short pointed tip, 6–12 cm, double-toothed, softly hairy; heart-shaped base. | Alternate, 4–10 cm, oval with a heart-shaped base, with teeth ending in a bristle and parallel, impressed veins; underside blue-green. |
| Flowering | Yellow, hanging male catkins as early as January–February; tiny red stigmas of the female flowers (January–March). | Hanging clusters (2–5 cm) of pale yellow, bell-shaped, softly scented flowers, in March–April before the leaves (March–April). |
| Fruit | Hazelnuts in a leafy, ragged husk (September). | Small woody capsules, as in witch hazel. |
| Bark | Glossy grey-brown with pale lenticels. | Thin, zigzagging, brown twigs. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 3–8 m, multi-stemmed shrub | Shrub, 1.5–3 m |
| Site | Sun to shade, any garden soil, normal | Partial shade, acid soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–March | April–May |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Hazel is native: it feeds more insects and birds than a non-native species. If in doubt, choose this one.
Read on
- Plant profile: Hazel
- Plant profile: Winter hazel
- Hazel: when and how to prune
- Winter hazel: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Hazel or alder
- Turkish hazel or hazel
- Hazel or hop-hornbeam
- Hazel or elm
- Hazel or filbert
- Hazel or wych elm
- Hazel or witch hazel
- Hazel or large-leaved lime
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.