Identify trees in winter by their twigs and buds

In winter a broadleaf tree is bare, but every twig carries next year’s buds, and they differ from tree to tree. Start with how the buds sit: in facing pairs, bunched at the tip, or one at a time along the twig.

Buds in facing pairs

Buds in pairs, one each side of the twig.

Common ash: black budsCommon ashSooty black buds in opposite pairs Horse chestnut: sticky budsKieran Roy Powell, CC BY 4.0Horse chestnutSticky buds over horseshoe-shaped leaf scars Sycamore: green budsSycamoreBig green buds in opposite pairs Norway maple: red-brown budsNorway mapleSlender speckled shoots, broad reddish brown buds Field maple: twigsDavid Sandler, CC BY 4.0Field mapleOften corky wings on wrinkled second-year shoots Elder: twigsElderPurplish pineapple buds, white pith inside

Buds clustered at the tip

A bunch of buds at the end of each shoot.

English oak: twigs and budsEnglish oakCluster of light brown buds at each tip Red oak: twigs and budsRed oakSharp chestnut buds, hairs only at the tip

Thorns or spines

Sharp thorns or spines on the twigs.

  • BlackthornPurple shoots, tiny buds set on the spines
  • HawthornThorns and buds from the same point
Blackthorn: thorns and budsDaniel Cahen, CC BY 4.0BlackthornPurple shoots, tiny buds set on the spines Hawthorn: thorns and budsShawn O'Donnell, CC BY 4.0HawthornThorns and buds from the same point

Long, pointed buds

Long, sharp buds, set one at a time.

  • BeechCopper buds standing well out from the twig
  • HornbeamSlender buds hugging a zig-zag shoot
  • AspenPressed to a shiny brown twig
  • Wild cherryReddish brown, bunched on short spurs
Common beech: twigs and budsCommon beechLong copper buds standing out at 60° Hornbeam: twigs and budsNick Butcher, CC BY 4.0HornbeamSlender 8 mm buds hugging a zig-zag shoot Aspen: twigs and budsjamie-aa, CC BY 4.0AspenLong sharp buds pressed to a shiny brown twig Wild cherry: twigs and budsWild cherryLong reddish brown buds bunched on short spurs

Other buds

Buds set one at a time along the twig.

  • Silver birchWhite resin warts on dark, hairless shoots
  • AlderStalked, club-shaped buds
  • Common limeFat red buds of two unequal scales
  • RowanBig purple buds edged with long grey hairs
  • HazelFat green buds on rough, hairy shoots
  • Tree of heavenTiny red buds over big heart-shaped scars
Silver birch: twigsHelen Waterman, CC BY 4.0Silver birchWhite resin warts on hairless, dark purplish shoots Alder: twigs and budsAlexis Tinker-Tsavalas, CC BY 4.0AlderStalked buds, club-shaped and dusted mauve Common lime: red budsCommon limeFat red buds of two unequal scales Rowan: twigs and budsanguspritchard, CC BY 4.0RowanBig purple buds edged with long grey hairs Hazel: twigs and budsHazelFat green buds on rough, hairy shoots Tree of heaven: leaf scarsDaniel Cahen, CC BY 4.0Tree of heavenTiny red buds over big heart-shaped scars Apple: twigs and budsAppleStout grey shoots, buds coated in grey hairs Cherry plum: green shootsDaniel Cahen, CC BY 4.0Cherry plumThin green shoots, glossy and hairless Common whitebeam: twigs and budsJarro Nevsbaru, CC BY 4.0Common whitebeamCone-shaped buds to 15 mm, brick-red shoots Downy birch: twigsThomas Gyselinck, CC BY 4.0Downy birchSoftly hairy shoots, no white warts Ginkgo: twigsClive Freedman, CC BY 4.0GinkgoStubby spurs all along the older wood Honey locust: twigssblumen, CC BY 4.0Honey locustCurling twigs, minute orange buds Magnolia: silky budsMalte Krömer, CC BY 4.0MagnoliaFat silky buds on greyish brown shoots Walnut: twigs and budsZeke Marshall, CC BY 4.0WalnutStout curving shoots, chambered inside Weeping willow: hanging shootsjamie-aa, CC BY 4.0Weeping willowShoots to 6 m, greyish gold when bare Wych elm: twigsTom Norton, CC BY 4.0Wych elmDark grey, hairy, buds dark purple and squat
In the app

Not sure? Ask the app

  • Name it from a photoA leaf, the bark or a flower, and Treely names the tree
  • No signal? The guided keyOne simple question at a time, about what you can see
  • Every part, through the yearSo you can name it in winter as surely as in June
  • A short round each dayUntil you know them on sight
App StoreGoogle Play

Free to download.

Photographs: Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas (CC BY 4.0), steve_mcwilliam (CC0), jamie-aa (CC BY 4.0), Daniel Cahen (CC BY 4.0), Jarro Nevsbaru (CC BY 4.0), Thomas Gyselinck (CC BY 4.0), Leon Cross (CC BY 4.0), David Sandler (CC BY 4.0), Clive Freedman (CC BY 4.0), Shawn O'Donnell (CC BY 4.0), empressmoth (CC0), sblumen (CC BY 4.0), Nick Butcher (CC BY 4.0), Kieran Roy Powell (CC BY 4.0), Malte Krömer (CC BY 4.0), jcollatz (CC0), dugald (CC0), anguspritchard (CC BY 4.0), Helen Waterman (CC BY 4.0), Zeke Marshall (CC BY 4.0), Tom Norton (CC BY 4.0). With thanks to everyone who shares their photographs on iNaturalist and Wikimedia Commons.