How to Plant Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurel, or Prunus laurocerasus to give it its Sunday name, is a vigorous evergreen shrub often grown as a feature hedge. In fact, Cherry Laurel is one of the most popular hedging plants in the UK.
About Cherry Laurel
An interesting quirk of the Cherry Laurel is that it isn’t actually a true Laurel. Rather, it comes from the Prunus genus of plants and gets its common name from its similarities to the Cherry Tree and Bay Laurel.
You can find laurel hedge online today.
Cherry Laurel boasts long, narrow, glossy leaves in a rich shade of dark green, contrasting beautifully with the small white flowers that bloom on racemes in spring. Bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects find the flowers irresistible. In autumn, the flowers make way for cherry-like fruits that turn black as the season progresses. These berries are a valuable food source for birds and small mammals but can be toxic to humans and pets.
Why Should I Plant Cherry Laurel in the Garden?
As an evergreen hedge, Cherry Laurel is ideal for screening. It offers year-round privacy, helps prevent noise carrying, and can act as a windbreaker offering shelter to patio areas. This hardy shrub is well suited to the UK climate and is easy to grow, requiring little maintenance to thrive.
Where to Plant Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurels will tolerate partial shade but prefer a bright spot in the garden where they can soak up the full sun. Don’t worry if the placement feels a bit exposed. Laurels are hardy plants that cope well in the elements and are adept at surviving the cold weather of British winters.
Laurel shrubs will thrive in most native soil types and are happy in any soil pH. They prefer moist but well-drained soil that is moderately fertile and rich in organic matter.
A Cherry Laurel hedge can eventually reach 4-8m high and over 8m wide so ensure the area has enough space for the plant to grow into. Laurel is fast-growing and can put on around 30-60cm in a year.
It is possible to grow Laurel as container plants. When growing Prunus laurocerasus in pots, most gardeners prefer to train the evergreen shrubs into a tree-like form, so the shrub grows taller but not as wide. This is relatively easy to do by progressively pruning the lower branches to create the desired shape.
When Should Laurel Be Planted?
The best time of year to plant Cherry Laurel is October to March. The soil will still be relatively warm, and your new plant will have plenty of time for the roots to settle before the first frosts of winter set in. Alternatively, you can plant Cherry Laurels in spring. Laurels planted at this time of year will need extra watering to establish them well into the soil.
Whenever you decide to place your Cherry Laurel plant in the ground, try to time it so that the soil is dry to prevent the root ball from sitting in waterlogged soil.
How Far Apart Do You Plant Cherry Laurel?
Cherry Laurel plants should get spaced around 60-90cm (2-3ft) apart. The exact measurements will largely depend on how many plants you have and how long you’re willing to wait for a dense hedge. Placing the plants closer together will achieve a lush, dense hedge faster. If you leave more space between, you’ll have to wait a little longer. However, Laurel is fast growing, so your new hedging will become thick and dense before long.
Be careful not to plant Laurel shrubs too close together. This can result in the roots competing for nutrients in the soil, which can, in turn, lead to poor growth.
How Deep Do Laurels Need to be Planted?
When planting Cherry Laurels, the root system needs to be completely covered in soil. Dig a planting hole around 80cm deep. Ensure the hole is deep enough to accommodate the root ball, and add another couple of inches to the depth. You may find it easier to dig a trench if you’re planting a row of shrubs to create a hedge.
As you fill the hole, ensure the roots are firmly in the ground and well-covered with compost.
How Long Does it Take for Cherry Laurel to Grow?
As we’ve already mentioned, Cherry Laurel is a fast-growing shrub that can grow up to 30-60cm per year, given the right conditions. Without pruning, Laurel can reach as high as 8m, reaching its ultimate height in around 20-50 years. However, as with most hedging, it will look better and be easier to maintain when kept at a manageable size.
Prunus laurocerasus is simple to propagate, and it is easy to fill holes or gaps in the dense foliage using cuttings. Shoot cuttings will take around 6-8 weeks to root and benefit from being kept inside until strong enough to survive outdoors. Propagate from semi-ripe cuttings in late summer to autumn or hardwood cuttings in autumn to late winter.
How to Grow and Care for Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurel hedges are easy to care for and don’t demand too much attention to thrive. However, there are some care tips you should bear in mind that will help Laurels flourish into happy, healthy plants.
Watering
New Cherry Laurels will need regular watering for around the first year or so. Obviously, they can soak up rainwater when planted outside, but in dry weather, try to keep the soil moist but well-drained by watering whenever the soil surface feels dry. Once the plant is well-established, the weather should be enough to keep the soil moist for most of the year. However, the hedging will need watering during particularly dry spells.
Fertilising
Cherry Laurel grows best when the soil is full of nutrients, so it appreciates being fertilised during the growing season. An annual application of a quality all-purpose or evergreen plant feed is enough to keep your Cherry Laurel looking lush and healthy.
Pruning
While Cherry Laurel can be left to its own devices, it does benefit from regular pruning. Not only does pruning keep the hedge looking neat, tidy and the perfect size, but it also promotes fresh growth. Use sharp secateurs to trim away any dead or damaged shoots and leaves. Loppers can be useful for reaching tall hedges and thicker, mature branches.
The growing season is the best time to prune a Cherry Laurel plant. Prune the hedging in late spring or early summer to encourage new growth and denser foliage.
Prunus laurocerasus is a versatile shrub with an attractive appearance that benefits almost any landscape. Given the right light conditions and watered when needed, Cherry Laurel is easy to gro, and makes a great addition to any garden.