Side by side
Persian ironwood or witch hazel? How to tell them apart
Parrotia persica · Hamamelis
How to tell them apart – Persian ironwood: broadly spreading tree with wavy-toothed leaves that turn yellow, orange and red in autumn, and flaking bark; witch hazel: a shrub with yellow or orange, ribbon-like flowers in winter and smooth bark.
How do you recognise them?
- Persian ironwood
- Broadly spreading tree with wavy-toothed leaves that turn yellow, orange and red in autumn, and flaking bark.
- Witch hazel
- Shrub with hazel-like leaves that flowers in the depths of winter with fragrant, spidery yellow or orange-red flowers.
- Compared with Persian ironwood: a shrub with yellow or orange, ribbon-like flowers in winter and smooth bark.
| Persian ironwood | Witch hazel | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 6–12 cm, obovate, untoothed in the lower half and wavy, coarsely toothed in the upper half; glossy. Autumn colours of yellow, orange, red and purple all mixed together. | Alternate, 8–15 cm, broadly oval with a lopsided base and a wavy, toothed margin; glorious yellow to orange-red autumn colour. |
| Flowering | Small flowers without petals, with conspicuous red stamens, in February–March on the bare branches (February–March). | Flowers with four ribbon-like, crinkled petals, yellow, orange or red, from December to March on bare branches; fragrant (January–February). |
| Fruit | Small, hairy, woody capsules. | Woody capsules that shoot their seeds a few metres away. |
| Bark | Flakes off in patches, leaving a mosaic of grey, green, pink and brown. | Greyish-brown and smooth; twigs with hairy buds. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 6–12 m, often broad and multi-stemmed | Shrub, 3–5 m |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, acid soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Little |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | March–April | March–April |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have: see the growing conditions in the table.
Read on
- Plant profile: Persian ironwood
- Plant profile: Witch hazel
- Persian ironwood: when and how to prune
- Witch hazel: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.