my $href = { 'x' => { 'y' => { 'z' => [ $xref, $yref, $zref ], }, #'strange' => { ..... }, }, #'charm' => { .... }, }; for my $obj ( %$href ) { print "$obj: ",ref($obj),$/; my $copy= $obj; print "$copy: ",ref($copy),$/; } __END__ prints: x: x: HASH(0x1a65030): HASH HASH(0x1a65030): HASH