Both the corkscrew willow and the corkscrew hazel are suitable as attractive ornamental trees for the garden with their pretty, twisted branches. It is possible to mix up the trees, but they can be clearly distinguished based on clear characteristics.
What distinguishes corkscrew willow from corkscrew hazel?
The main difference between corkscrew willow and corkscrew hazel is their growth habit, leaf shape, flowers and fruits. The corkscrew willow grows to 8-12 meters high, has narrow, pointed leaves, white-gray catkins and inconspicuous capsule fruits. Corkscrew hazel, on the other hand, grows to 6 meters high, has rounded leaves, male catkin flowers and edible nuts.
Is the growth habit a characteristic feature?
Since the mature busheshave very different growth heights, this represents an important distinguishing feature:
- The corkscrew hazel forms several trunks, grows to about six meters high and forms a wide crown.
- The corkscrew willow, on the other hand, gains fifty to eighty centimeters every year and grows into an eight to twelve meter high tree within a few years. The crown is egg-shaped and loses its closed shape with age.
What do the leaves look like?
TheHazelnut leaves are roundish and have a characteristic point at the top.
Other features:
- Light green, with double-serrated leaf edge,
- slightly hairy on the upper side,
- wrinkled,
- sometimes curled.
- In autumn, the foliage of the corkscrew hazel turns a pretty yellow color.
Theleaves of the corkscrew willow, on the other hand, are up to ten centimeters long, narrow and pointedshaped.
Other features:
- Colored yellow on the upper side,
- Underside whitish-bluish,
- revolve around themselves,
- flapping audibly in the wind,
- pale yellow autumn color.
What differences do the flowers have?
- TheCorkscrew Hazelis a monoecious shrub, which means that male and female flowers are on one plant. Thedrooping male catkin flowers,, which appear before the leaves emerge, have a very decorative effect. The female flower buds have a reddish tip.
- The also monoeciouscorkscrew willowforms about two centimeter large,white-grey catkins. from March
Can you also recognize the plants by their fruits?
The fruits that ripen in autumn are a clear identifying feature:
- Thesingle-seeded nutsthecorkscrew hazel ripen from October onwards. They are edible but not very tasty. The shrub also only bears fruit for the first time after about ten years.
- Thecorkscrew willowforms small,inconspicuous capsule fruits.
Do the trees differ in terms of their use?
- With its beautifully twisted branches, thecorkscrew hazel,which is also extremely cut-resistant,even fits in front gardens with limited space and creates attractive ones here Accents.
- Since thecorkscrew willowgrows rapidly and is quite tall, it isnot suitable for small gardens.
Tip
How can the attractive branches be used?
Great crafts can be made with both the branches of the corkscrew hazel and those of the corkscrew willow. In addition, complemented by fresh flowers, they are wonderful for pretty arrangements in the Ikebana style.
