Side by side
Judas tree or katsura tree? How to tell them apart
Cercis siliquastrum · Cercidiphyllum japonicum
How to tell them apart – Judas tree: alternate, untoothed leaves and pink flowers on the branches; katsura tree: toothed leaves in opposite pairs.
How do you recognise them?
- Judas tree
- Small tree with round, blue-green leaves. In April–May pink flowers on the bare branches and even on the trunk.
- Compared with katsura tree: alternate, untoothed leaves and pink flowers on the branches.
- Katsura tree
- Round, heart-shaped leaves in opposite pairs. In autumn they turn yellow to pink and smell of caramel.
- Compared with Judas tree: toothed leaves in opposite pairs.
| Judas tree | Katsura tree | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 6–10 cm, round to kidney-shaped with a heart-shaped base, untoothed and blue-green, with 7–9 veins from the base. | Opposite, 5–10 cm, round to heart-shaped with a scalloped edge and palmate veins; young leaves reddish. |
| Flowering | Pink to purple pea flowers in clusters on bare twigs, old branches and the trunk, just before the leaves (April–May). | Inconspicuous reddish flowers before the leaves (March–April). |
| Fruit | Flat, reddish-brown pods (6–10 cm) that hang on into winter. | Small, pod-like fruits in clusters. |
| Bark | Dark grey to blackish, finely cracked. | Greyish-brown, peeling in strips on older trees; often multi-stemmed. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 4–8 m | Broadleaf tree, 10–20 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, dry | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, moist to wet |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees | Little |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | June–July | July–August and November–February |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Katsura tree grows 10–20 m tall: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Judas tree
- Plant profile: Katsura tree
- Judas tree: when and how to prune
- Katsura tree: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.