Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Our range of bare root Cherry Laurel hedging plants (Prunus laurocerasus)

The best quality bare root Cherry Laurel hedging plants are grown from cuttings (off good quality established "mother" plants) rather than from seed and it takes at least two years to grow plants that are ready to be sold, with taller heights taking 3 years.  Bare root Cherry Laurel is only available in the November to April season.

We also have cell grown Cherry Laurel plants which are grown by one of the UK's best specialist growers and these are ideal for amenity planting as well as domestic schemes, and for woodland understory.  These plants are available all year round.

Cherry laurel is one of the very few evergreen species that is suitable for growing as a bare root plant (others are Yew, Privet and Box).

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) Summary

Cherry Laurel is one of the most popular hedging plants in the UK and is used as an evergreen fast growing robust hedge available in several root types (we sell bare root and cell grown but it is also available as a root ball and pot grown plant - the latter two being considerably more expensive).  Its only disadvantages are that it is toxic to livestock and it has large leaves which hedge trimmers cut into which doesn’t leave the neatest finish – but it’s fast growth rate soon produces new foliage which conceals old cuts.   It can be trimmed to a formal hedge shape in which case it will become very dense or left to grow as a bushy shrub where it provides good cover for birds and is often used on pheasant shoots.  It is salt and pollution tolerant so ideal for more urban roadside areas as well as rural areas.

Soil and Situation

Any acid to slightly alkaline soil, ideally consistently moist but well drained.  Cherry Laurel is ideally planted in sun but will tolerate even quite dense shade.

Leaves, flowers and fruit

The leaves are alternate, very glossy, mid green on the surface and slightly lighter underneath, large (up to 15cm), leathery in texture with scattered teeth along the margins.  They are held on short stalks.  The flowers are creamy white cylindrical racemes which are popular with insects. These flowers turn into black “cherries” which, like the rest of the plant, are toxic to animals and livestock (they contain a cyanide type compound) but are eaten by birds.

Eventual height and growth rate

For formal hedging the ideal height for cherry laurel would be 1.5m to 5m but if left unpruned, it will grow to 8m.  The growth rate is fast – about 60cm pa in good conditions.

This section gives definitions on the specifications of plants that we sell.  We are specialists in field grown (or bare root) plants which are grown in two ways.  The majority are grown from seed, some are ready within one growing season (seedlings or 1+0's) and some species require two growing seasons (1u1's).  In addition to growing from seed we also grow from small plants or cuttings (transplants) which are much more widely spaced (taking more land, more irrigation water, fertilisers and labour).  There are only a handful of bare root wholesale nurseries in the UK and of those even fewer grow transplants but Ray Jenkins has many years' experience of transplanting so we grow these in large volumes.  Ray has written this blog about the benefits of bare root plants and how they are grown and another blog which gives further detail on bare root specifications.

The detailed specifications are shown below.  If you are in doubt about what specification to use please email us on enquiries@rjtreesandhedging.co.uk with a description of the project (and photos if appropriate) and we will advise you.

1+0 - field grown in one season from seed, known as a seedling (sometimes called a whip), generally a slender single stem plant.   These are the cheapest specification and are particularly suitable for planting where weed competition will be less intense, soil is shallow or on exposed windy sites.  Gives a high root to shoot ratio and minimal plant "check".

2+0 - a 2 year seedling, field grown from seed in the same seed bed in two growing seasons where the species cannot be grown to a saleable plant from seed in one season

1U1 - 2 year old plant called an undercut, field grown for two seasons in the same seed bed and undercut by machine (a sharp blade cutting the roots under the soil level) after the first year to develop the root structure. We do this with several species which take 2 years to develop (eg oak, beech, hornbeam)

1+1 - 2 year old plant (transplant) grown from seed in the first year and then transplanted into a different area of the field and spaced out for the second growing season - a robust plant with a larger and more robust root system than seedling or undercut plant which will enable it to better withstand drought and weed competition. Often the best choice and the staple norm for farm hedging and this specification is a requirement of the Countryside Stewardship Grant

1+2- a 3 year old plant, two years field growing in the seedbed and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further two growing seasons giving a tall, stocky, bushy plant

2+1- a 3 year old plant, two years field growing in the seedbed and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further growing season, giving a strong bushy plant

3+1 - as above but field grown for a further growing season for more height and a very bushy plant

1+3- 4 year old, one year field growing in the seed beds and then transplanted (and spaced out) for three years, giving a very strong, bushy plant

2+2- 4 year old, two years field growing in the seed beds and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further two years - a very mature plant suited to certain species like beech and hornbeam where we can offer almost instant hedging

and some that are a bit different.....

P9 - a plant grown in a greenhouse or polytunnel in a 9cm pot (for holly which germinates poorly in the field)

Cell grown - a plant grown in small deep cells (like a small yogurt pot) and then lifted out of those for transportation. Commonly used in forestry and large hedging projects.  Very high quality plants with excellent success rate.  See our blog on the benefits of cell grown plants.

C+1 or C+2 - a 3 or 4 year old plant initally started as hardwood cuttings grown on for a year as cell grown plants and then lined out in fields to grow on for a further 1 or 2 years (a technique used for Cherry Laurel)

0/1 - a hardwood cutting, then field grown for one season (for example for white willow, black poplar and osier)