Pin Cherry vs Witch Hazel - TreeTime.ca

Pin Cherry vs Witch Hazel

Prunus pensylvanica

Hamamelis virginiana

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Pin Cherry
Witch Hazel

Pin Cherry is a small tree that produces clusters of white blossoms in spring followed by bright red berries that ripen through the summer. The attractive red color of the leaves in the fall is an added bonus.

The fruit is quite sour when eaten fresh but is excellent when cooked into jam or jelly. Birds love the berries and will be attracted to your property.

Witch Hazel is a deciduous shrub, or small tree, with a short trunk, bearing numerous spreading, crooked branches.

The seeds grow in a long, wooden pod with two to four seeds per pod. Upon ripening, the pods burst, firing the seeds up to 30km an hour.

The leaf and bark extract of Witch Hazel has been used as a remedy to common ailments such as inflammation, bruises and much more for many centuries.

Pin Cherry Quick Facts

Witch Hazel Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 9 m (30 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: long
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: very bright orangish-red
Bark: reddish brown bark has an attractive appearance in the winter
Flowers: white
Fruit: clusters of edible, red cherries often used for jams and jellies
Berries: clusters of edible, red cherries often used for jams and jellies
Seeds: seeds ejected to a distance of up to 30 ft
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, PE
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Other Names: bird cherry, fire cherry, pincherry, red cherry, wild red cherry