Description
An exceptional choice for an evergreen hedge, Portuguese Laurel (Prunus luscitanica Angustifolia) has everything you need from a hedging plant - tougher and hardier than Cherry laurel, it will grow anywhere, including dry soils in almost full shade. The leaves are smaller than Cherry laurel, pointed and a glossy dark green with beautiful red stems, so makes a very elegant formal hedge. It is slightly slower to grow than Cherry laurel, so easier to keep neat when clipped, but will grow fast enough to soon provide a dense screen or windbreak.Small fragrant white flowers appear in early summer, and are a welcome food source for bees and butterflies when earlier Spring blossom has faded. Small red fruit which turn balck when fully ripe are a favourite with birds.
Our Portuguese laurel plants are all root-balled - supplied with a ball of soil around the roots, wrapped with a piece of hessian. Leave the hessian in place when planting, as it will minimise root disturbance and the hessian will rot once planted and the roots will soon escape and establish.
Prune using secateurs in early spring - this way you will avoid cutting leaves in half which can make the hedge look very untidy.
