Cherry Laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
Also listed as Cerasus laurocerasus, Padus laurocerasus
Also known as Common Laurel, English Laurel
Climate Match for your location
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A dense, glossy-leaved evergreen shrub with fragrant white flower spikes in spring, followed by red berries that ripen to black. Hardy and low-maintenance, it tolerates shade and poor soil.
Why grow it
Cherry laurel offers reliable evergreen screening and hedging where many deciduous alternatives would leave gaps in winter. It establishes quickly in shade and poor soil conditions that would challenge English laurel or holly, while requiring less maintenance pruning than formal boxwood hedges. The early spring flowers provide nectar when few other shrubs are blooming, and the fruit attracts birds.
Watch out for
This species self-seeds readily in mild climates and can spread beyond intended boundaries, so deadheading spent flower clusters before fruit ripens helps contain it. In heavy clay soils, ensure adequate drainage during establishment to prevent root issues. Young plants benefit from consistent moisture their first season, though mature specimens tolerate drier conditions.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Rosaceae
Native Range
Southeastern Europe and Western Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A dense, glossy-leaved evergreen shrub with fragrant white flower spikes in spring, followed by red berries that ripen to black. Hardy and low-maintenance, it tolerates shade and poor soil.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Cherry Laurel grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Cherry laurel offers reliable evergreen screening and hedging where many deciduous alternatives would leave gaps in winter. It establishes quickly in shade and poor soil conditions that would challenge English laurel or holly, while requiring less maintenance pruning than formal boxwood hedges. The early spring flowers provide nectar when few other shrubs are blooming, and the fruit attracts birds.
Watch out for
This species self-seeds readily in mild climates and can spread beyond intended boundaries, so deadheading spent flower clusters before fruit ripens helps contain it. In heavy clay soils, ensure adequate drainage during establishment to prevent root issues. Young plants benefit from consistent moisture their first season, though mature specimens tolerate drier conditions.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Rosaceae
Native Range
Southeastern Europe and Western Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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