Side by side
Whitebeam or Swedish whitebeam? How to tell them apart
Sorbus aria · Sorbus intermedia
How to tell them apart – whitebeam: oval, double-toothed leaves with a brilliant white, felted underside, white flower heads and orange-red berries; Swedish whitebeam: the leaves are lobed towards the base and grey-felted, not brilliant white.
How do you recognise them?
- Whitebeam
- Oval, double-toothed leaves with a brilliant white, felted underside; white flower heads and orange-red berries.
- Swedish whitebeam
- Leaf shallowly lobed only in the lower half, with a grey-felted underside; orange-red berries.
- Compared with whitebeam: the leaves are lobed towards the base and grey-felted, not brilliant white.
| Whitebeam | Swedish whitebeam | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 6–12 cm, oval, irregularly double-toothed, with 10–14 pairs of parallel veins. Dark green above, white-felted below: in the wind the tree looks silvery. | Alternate, 7–12 cm, oval; lower half shallowly lobed, upper part toothed. Underside greyish-yellow felted. |
| Flowering | White flower heads in May (May). | Clusters of white flowers in May (May). |
| Fruit | Orange-red to scarlet berries (1–1.5 cm) with small pale speckles, in autumn. | Orange-red berries in clusters. |
| Bark | Smooth and grey, later finely cracked. | Grey and smooth, later with shallow cracks. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 8–15 m | Broadleaf tree, 10–15 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, dry | Full sun, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees and birds | Yes, for bees and birds |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | July–August and December–February | November–March |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Whitebeam is native: it feeds more insects and birds than a non-native species. If in doubt, choose this one.
Read on
- Plant profile: Whitebeam
- Plant profile: Swedish whitebeam
- Whitebeam: when and how to prune
- Swedish whitebeam: 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.