What are Cherry Laurel Hedge Plants?
Cherry laurel hedge plants, botanically known as Prunus laurocerasus, are a robust and popular choice for creating dense, evergreen screens and borders in gardens. Renowned for their glossy, dark green leaves and rapid growth, they provide year-round privacy and structure. Unlike true laurels, they belong to the cherry family, producing small white flowers and sometimes dark berries, though these are not typically prominent in a well-managed hedge.
- Evergreen privacy screens with glossy foliage.
- Fast-growing, providing structure quickly.
- Adaptable to various soil and light conditions.
- Requires regular pruning to maintain shape.
Their vigorous nature makes them a favourite for gardeners looking to establish a substantial hedge without a long wait. They are tolerant of a range of conditions, from full sun to partial shade, and can adapt to different soil types, provided they are well-drained. This versatility contributes significantly to their widespread appeal in diverse garden settings across the UK.
Varieties for Hedging
Several cultivars of cherry laurel are particularly well-suited for hedging purposes. 'Schipkaensis' (often called Skip Laurel) is a popular, more compact variety that remains around 2-3 metres tall, making it ideal for smaller gardens or where a less imposing hedge is desired. 'Rotundifolia' is another common choice, known for its broad leaves and vigorous growth, reaching heights of 4-5 metres if left untrimmed. For those seeking a particularly dense screen, 'Caucasica' is often recommended due to its upright growth habit and closely spaced foliage. When selecting, consider the mature size and growth rate to match your specific garden space and desired outcome.
Why Choose Cherry Laurel Over Other Hedges?
Cherry laurel hedge plants present a compelling alternative to other common hedging options. While leylandii can be overly vigorous and require frequent, precise trimming to prevent them from becoming unmanageable or causing neighbour disputes, cherry laurel offers a more controlled, albeit still substantial, growth. Compared to deciduous options like hawthorn tree or beech hedge, cherry laurel provides a permanent, year-round green barrier, ensuring privacy and visual screening throughout the seasons. Its dense foliage also offers superior noise reduction and can act as a windbreak. The glossy leaves give it a more formal appearance than some native hedging plants, yet it retains a naturalistic feel once established. If a box hedge is too slow-growing or susceptible to blight, cherry laurel provides a quicker, more resilient solution for achieving a similar formal effect.
Planting Your Cherry Laurel Hedge
When you're ready to plant your cherry laurel hedge plants, careful preparation is key to establishing a healthy, long-lasting screen. The ideal time for planting is during the autumn or early spring when the soil is moist and temperatures are mild, allowing the roots to establish before extreme weather conditions arrive. This period minimises transplant shock and promotes vigorous new growth once the growing season begins.
Site Selection and Soil Preparation
Cherry laurels are adaptable, thriving in full sun to partial shade. However, prolonged, intense afternoon sun in very hot climates might scorch the leaves. They prefer moist, well-drained soil. Avoid areas where waterlogging is a persistent problem, as this can lead to root rot. Before planting, it's beneficial to improve the soil. Dig a trench at least twice the width of the root ball and to the same depth. Incorporate generous amounts of organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, to enrich the soil and improve its drainage and water retention capabilities. This initial soil improvement is crucial for long-term plant health.
Planting Distances and Techniques
The spacing for your cherry laurel hedge plants will depend on the size of the specimens you purchase and how quickly you wish to achieve a dense screen. For younger plants, typically 30-60cm in height, spacing them 40-60cm apart is a common recommendation. This allows sufficient room for growth without excessive gaps. Dig individual planting holes for each plant, ensuring they are wide enough to accommodate the root ball comfortably. Carefully remove the plant from its container, teasing out any circling roots before placing it in the hole. The top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding soil surface. Backfill the hole with the improved soil, firming gently around the base of the plant to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil and hydrate the roots.
Water new hedges consistently for the first year, especially during dry spells, to ensure strong root development and a robust start.
Initial Care Post-Planting
Immediately after planting, water your new hedge thoroughly. Apply a mulch of compost or bark chips around the base of the plants, keeping it a few centimetres away from the stems. This mulch will help retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. For the first year, regular watering is paramount. Check the soil moisture by feeling it a few centimetres down; if it feels dry, it's time to water. This consistent moisture is vital for the plants to establish a deep and extensive root system, which will support them through future dry periods.
Caring for Your Cherry Laurel Hedge
Once established, cherry laurel hedge plants are relatively low-maintenance, but consistent care will ensure they remain a beautiful and functional feature of your garden. Pruning is the most significant aspect of ongoing care, shaping the hedge and promoting healthy, dense growth.
Pruning and Trimming
Cherry laurels respond well to pruning. The best time for the main trim is usually in late spring or early summer, after the main flush of growth has occurred. This allows you to shape the hedge and remove any unwanted growth. If you want to encourage a denser hedge or remove any frost-damaged tips, a lighter trim can be done again in early autumn. Avoid pruning too late in autumn, as new growth stimulated by the cut may be vulnerable to frost damage over winter. When pruning, use sharp, clean secateurs or shears to make clean cuts, which helps the plant heal more effectively and reduces the risk of disease.
Feeding and Mulching
While cherry laurels are not heavy feeders, a yearly application of a balanced, slow-release fertiliser in spring can benefit their growth, especially if the soil is not particularly rich. Apply the fertiliser around the base of the hedge, avoiding direct contact with the stems, and water it in. Mulching annually with organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, is also beneficial. This helps to improve soil structure, retain moisture, and suppress weeds. Ensure the mulch layer is kept away from the immediate base of the stems to prevent rot.
Pest and Disease Management
Cherry laurel hedge plants are generally quite resistant to pests and diseases. However, they can occasionally be affected by issues such as vine weevil, which can damage roots, or leaf spot diseases, which manifest as discoloured patches on the foliage. Good cultural practices, like ensuring proper drainage, appropriate watering, and adequate spacing to promote air circulation, are the best preventative measures. If you notice signs of pests or diseases, identify the problem accurately and consider appropriate treatments, which may range from physical removal of affected parts to specific horticultural sprays. Healthy plants are always more resilient.
Cherry laurel offers a rapid, evergreen solution that balances privacy with manageable growth, making it a versatile staple for many UK gardens.
Dealing with Overgrown Hedges
If your cherry laurel hedge has become overgrown and lost its shape, it can often be rejuvenated. Cherry laurels are tolerant of hard pruning, meaning you can cut them back quite severely if necessary. The best time to undertake such a drastic cut is in late winter or early spring. You might need to prune back by a third or even half of the overgrown growth. While this will temporarily reduce the density and appearance of the hedge, new shoots will emerge from the old wood, and the hedge will thicken up again over the following seasons with regular maintenance.
Cherry Laurel vs. Other Popular Hedges
When selecting hedging plants, gardeners often weigh the pros and cons of various species. Cherry laurel hedge plants stand out due to their unique combination of attributes, offering distinct advantages over alternatives like privet, leylandii, or even native hawthorn.
Cherry Laurel vs. Privet Hedge
Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is a classic hedging plant, known for its fast growth and dense foliage. However, privet is semi-evergreen, meaning it can lose a significant portion of its leaves in harsh winters, compromising its screening ability. Cherry laurel, being fully evergreen with robust, glossy leaves, offers superior year-round privacy and a more consistently attractive appearance, especially during colder months. While privet flowers are often inconspicuous, cherry laurel's spring blossom can be a pleasant addition, though it's typically less of a feature in a trimmed hedge.
Cherry Laurel vs. Leylandii
Leylandii (Cupressocyparis leylandii) is notorious for its incredibly rapid growth, often adding up to 75cm (2.5ft) per year. This speed can be an advantage if immediate, tall screening is required. However, this vigour also means leylandii can quickly become unmanageable, requiring frequent, often arduous, trimming. Neglected leylandii hedges can grow into monstrous, invasive specimens that dominate gardens and cause neighbourly disputes. Cherry laurel, while still a vigorous grower, is generally more predictable and easier to control with annual or bi-annual pruning, making it a safer long-term choice for many homeowners seeking substantial screening without the extreme maintenance demands or potential for conflict associated with leylandii.
Cherry Laurel vs. Native Hedging (e.g., Hawthorn)
Native hedging plants like hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) offer ecological benefits, supporting local wildlife with their flowers and berries. Hawthorn is deciduous, providing a beautiful spring display but no winter screening. For gardeners prioritising privacy and a constant green barrier, cherry laurel is the clear choice. While hawthorn is hardy and relatively low-maintenance, its thorny branches and open winter structure are not suitable for all privacy needs. Cherry laurel, with its dense, smooth foliage, provides a more formal and unbroken screen, making it better suited for defining boundaries or screening unsightly views throughout the year.
Ultimately, the choice between cherry laurel and other hedging plants depends on your specific needs regarding speed of growth, desired screening level, evergreen or deciduous preference, and the amount of maintenance you are willing to undertake. Cherry laurel consistently offers a robust, attractive, and reliable evergreen solution for many common garden hedging requirements.