I don't notice the difference in tree shape between Shirotae and Shogetsu, so I'm just posting a blossom comparison to start with. Shirotae are supposed to bloom mid-season, a bit behind the Akebonos. Shogetsu are one of the last to bloom. That should make it easy to distinguish one from the other, but they don't always behave, and a Shirotae in a colder area could bloom at the same time as a Shogetsu in the warm part of the city. The notable differences for me are the extremely long Shogetsu peduncles and pedicels (upper and lower stems) and the frilly edges on the Shogetsu petals. Shirotae Shogetsu
