Side by side
Witch hazel or wintersweet? How to tell them apart
Hamamelis · Chimonanthus praecox
How to tell them apart – witch hazel: ribbon-like, crinkled petals and alternate leaves; wintersweet: shrub that flowers in midwinter on bare twigs, with waxy, pale yellow flowers with a purple centre and a very sweet scent.
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How do you recognise them?
- Witch hazel
- Shrub with hazel-like leaves that flowers in the depths of winter with fragrant, spidery yellow or orange-red flowers.
- Compared with wintersweet: ribbon-like, crinkled petals and alternate leaves.
- Wintersweet
- Shrub that flowers in midwinter on bare twigs, with waxy, pale yellow flowers with a purple centre and a very sweet scent.
| Witch hazel | Wintersweet | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 8–15 cm, broadly oval with a lopsided base and a wavy, toothed margin; glorious yellow to orange-red autumn colour. | Opposite, 7–15 cm, oval to lanceolate with a pointed tip, untoothed; upper side rough to the touch. |
| Flowering | Flowers with four ribbon-like, crinkled petals, yellow, orange or red, from December to March on bare branches; fragrant (January–February). | Hanging, cup-shaped flowers (2–3 cm) with waxy, translucent yellow outer and purplish-brown inner tepals, from December to February; very strongly scented (December–February). |
| Fruit | Woody capsules that shoot their seeds a few metres away. | Urn-shaped, brown false fruits containing a few seeds. |
| Bark | Greyish-brown and smooth; twigs with hairy buds. | Greyish-brown twigs with lenticels. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 3–5 m | Shrub, 2–3 m |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, acid soil, normal | Full sun, any garden 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 | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Pruning months | March–April | March |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Wintersweet is poisonous to people and pets: take care with children and animals.
Read on
- Plant profile: Witch hazel
- Plant profile: Wintersweet
- Witch hazel: when and how to prune
- Wintersweet: when and how to prune
- Identification key
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Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.