Lookalikes

Trees people mix up

Pairs that look alike, and what to look at on each to tell them apart.

Oaks, beeches and sweet chestnut Fagaceae

Common beech or English oak?Bark, leaves and beech mast Common beech or hazel?Leaves and shape Common beech or hornbeam?Bark, leaves and twigs Common beech or sweet chestnut?Beech mast, leaves and bark English oak or holm oak?Leaves and acorns English oak or red oak?Leaves, acorns, twigs and bark English oak or sessile oak?Acorns and leaves Red oak or sessile oak?Acorns and leaves

Birches, alders, hazel and hornbeam Betulaceae

Alder or common beech?Leaves, bark and cones Alder or downy birch?Bark and leaves Alder or hazel?Leaves and cones Alder or silver birch?Bark and leaves Downy birch or silver birch?Twigs, leaves and bark Downy birch or wild cherry?Bark and leaves Hazel or hornbeam?Nuts and shape Hazel or wych elm?Leaves, twigs, nuts and shape Hornbeam or sweet chestnut?Leaves and bark Hornbeam or wych elm?Bark and seeds

Cherries, hawthorns, rowans and apples Rosaceae

Apple or hawthorn?Leaves and twigs Apple or pear?Flowers, apples and leaves Bird cherry or wild cherry?Flowers, leaves and cherries Blackthorn or cherry plum?Flowers, twigs and sloes Blackthorn or crab apple?Flowers, leaves and sloes Blackthorn or hawthorn?Flowers, leaves and sloes Blackthorn or spindle?Leaves and sloes Blackthorn or wild cherry?Flowers, shape, sloes and twigs Cherry plum or purple-leaved plum?Leaves and flowers Cherry plum or wild cherry?Flowers, leaves, bark, twigs and plums Common whitebeam or hawthorn?Leaves, twigs and shape Common whitebeam or hornbeam?Bark and berries Common whitebeam or rowan?Leaves, berries and shape Common whitebeam or white poplar?Leaves and bark Crab apple or hawthorn?Leaves, apples and flowers Crab apple or pear?Flowers and apples Crab apple or wild cherry?Bark and leaves Hawthorn or Midland hawthorn?Leaves, flowers and haws Hawthorn or pear?Leaves and haws Hawthorn or rowan?Leaves, bark, haws and twigs Ornamental cherry or wild cherry?Shape and leaves

Maples and horse chestnut Sapindaceae

Field maple or hawthorn?Twigs and keys Field maple or London plane?Leaves and bark Field maple or spindle?Leaves and keys Field maple or sycamore?Leaves and keys Horse chestnut or sweet chestnut?Leaves and conkers Horse chestnut or sycamore?Leaves, twigs and conkers Japanese maple or Norway maple?Leaves and shape Japanese maple or sycamore?Leaves, keys and shape Norway maple or sycamore?Leaves, twigs, keys, bark and flowers

Willows and poplars Salicaceae

Aspen or black poplar?Leaves and bark Aspen or Lombardy poplar?Shape and leaves Aspen or silver birch?Bark and leaves

The pea family Fabaceae

False acacia or honey locust?Bark and twigs False acacia or rowan?Leaves and bark False acacia or tree of heaven?Leaves, bark and twigs Honey locust or laburnum?Leaves and flowers Honey locust or rowan?Leaves, bark and pods Judas tree or laburnum?Flowers and leaves

Pines, firs, spruces, larches and cedars Pinaceae

Atlas cedar or cedar of Lebanon?Leaves and cones Cedar of Lebanon or western red cedar?Leaves and cones Corsican pine or Scots pine?Leaves and bark Douglas fir or giant redwood?Leaves and cones Douglas fir or grand fir?Leaves and cones Douglas fir or western hemlock?Leaves, cones and bark European larch or ginkgo?Leaves and twigs European larch or Norway spruce?Leaves and twigs Grand fir or noble fir?Leaves and cones Japanese larch or Norway spruce?Leaves and cones Norway spruce or Scots pine?Leaves and cones

Other trees

Common ash or common beech?Bark and leaves Common ash or elder?Leaves, bark and twigs Common ash or English oak?Bark and twigs Common ash or false acacia?Leaves and twigs Common ash or honey locust?Leaves and bark Common ash or sycamore?Leaves, twigs and keys Common ash or tree of heaven?Leaves and twigs Common lime or Indian bean tree?Leaves, flowers and bark Elder or Japanese maple?Leaves and berries Elder or tree of heaven?Shape and twigs Eucalyptus or London plane?Leaves and capsules Field elm or hornbeam?Leaves, bark and seeds Holly or holm oak?Leaves and berries Holly or strawberry tree?Leaves and flowers Holly or yew?Leaves and berries London plane or Norway maple?Leaves, seed balls and bark London plane or sycamore?Leaves, seed balls and bark London plane or wild service tree?Leaves and seed balls Western red cedar or yew?Leaves and cones
In the app

Every pair, side by side

  • Both trees, part by partLeaves, bark, buds, flowers and fruit through the year
  • Every lookalike side by sideThe checks that settle it, for every pair people mix up
  • A short round each dayUntil you can tell them apart at a glance
  • The full GuideEvery tree written up in full
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Free to download.