Broad, glossy and opaque, the dark green evergreen leaves stay dense all year, joined by unmistakable white flowers. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’) is one of the most widely planted hedging shrubs there is, hardy, happy in any soil and content from full sun to shade. Give it light and it takes even heavy pruning, thickening in reply.
| Name | Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ |
|---|---|
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 3 to 16 feet (1 to 5 m) |
| Exposure | full sun to shade |
| Soil | ordinary |
| Flowering | mid-spring |
| Foliage | evergreen |
Ideal to set up a hedge, it is one of the most commonly used species for that purpose.
You can plant Prunus laurocerasus ‘rotundifolia’ (a special variety of cherry laurel) from October to March with a preference for fall in order to speed root development up before winter.
In the hedge, place the base of each stem at least 32 inches (80 cm) to 3 feet (1 meter) apart.
Set the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil, as burying the collar of Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’ invites rot at the stem base.
Water deeply after planting, then again through every dry spell of the first year.
Avoid pockets where winter water stands, since this laurel resents waterlogged roots; on heavy clay, plant it on a slight mound.
With cherry laurel, the season you choose decides the result: the same shrub can be pushed on or held back. Here is what each operation achieves.
| Operation | Season | What it achieves |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | Mid-autumn to early spring, autumn preferred | Roots develop before the cold sets in |
| Pruning | Spring | Quick, vigorous regrowth — the more you cut, the faster it grows |
| Pruning | Autumn | Restricts growth as the sap descends; keeps the hedge in bounds |
| Hard pruning | Spring or autumn | Tolerated well, even when heavy — good for renovating a hedge |
Cutting late in the season also leaves the following spring’s blooming untouched.
Prune your Prunus laurocerasus ‘rotundifolia’ in spring and in fall.
It is a shrub that can bear pruning well, even heavy pruning.
Sliced leaves brown at the cut, so prefer secateurs to a hedge trimmer.
Keep the clippings away from horses, cattle and other grazing animals, as the wilting leaves release hydrogen cyanide.
Shape the hedge slightly narrower at the top than at the base so light reaches the lowest branches and they stay furnished.
Prunus laurocerasus ‘rotundifolia’, also often called cherry laurel, numbers over 200 species.
It is hardy and adapts perfectly to hedges of any shape thanks to its dark green and opaque foliage and unique white flowers.
Better to prune well at the end of the season, so as to keep the spring blooming intact.
Leaves and berries are poisonous, so never leave clippings where livestock or ponies can reach them.
