Side by side
Winter hazel or witch hazel? How to tell them apart
Corylopsis · Hamamelis
How to tell them apart – winter hazel: shrub with hazel-like leaves that bears hanging clusters of pale yellow, fragrant bells on bare twigs in March–April; witch hazel: ribbon-like, crinkled petals, already in winter.
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How do you recognise them?
- Winter hazel
- Shrub with hazel-like leaves that bears hanging clusters of pale yellow, fragrant bells on bare twigs in March–April.
- Witch hazel
- Shrub with hazel-like leaves that flowers in the depths of winter with fragrant, spidery yellow or orange-red flowers.
- Compared with winter hazel: ribbon-like, crinkled petals, already in winter.
| Winter hazel | Witch hazel | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 4–10 cm, oval with a heart-shaped base, with teeth ending in a bristle and parallel, impressed veins; underside blue-green. | Alternate, 8–15 cm, broadly oval with a lopsided base and a wavy, toothed margin; glorious yellow to orange-red autumn colour. |
| Flowering | Hanging clusters (2–5 cm) of pale yellow, bell-shaped, softly scented flowers, in March–April before the leaves (March–April). | Flowers with four ribbon-like, crinkled petals, yellow, orange or red, from December to March on bare branches; fragrant (January–February). |
| Fruit | Small woody capsules, as in witch hazel. | Woody capsules that shoot their seeds a few metres away. |
| Bark | Thin, zigzagging, brown twigs. | Greyish-brown and smooth; twigs with hairy buds. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 1.5–3 m | Shrub, 3–5 m |
| Site | Partial shade, acid 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 | April–May | 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: Winter hazel
- Plant profile: Witch hazel
- Winter hazel: when and how to prune
- Witch hazel: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Forsythia or winter hazel
- Hazel or winter hazel
- Hazel or witch hazel
- Persian ironwood or witch hazel
- Witch hazel or wintersweet
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.