Prunus Species, Cherry Laurel, Common Laurel, English Laurel

Prunuslaurocerasus

Family
Rosaceae (ro-ZAY-see-ee)
Genus
Prunus (PROO-nus)
Species
laurocerasus (law-roh-KER-uh-sus)
Synonym
Cerasus laurocerasus
Prunus grandifolia
Sun Exposure
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Smooth
Height
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)
Spacing
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Danger
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color
White/Near White
Bloom Time
Mid Spring
Other Details
Category
Shrubs
Water Requirements
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Bloom Characteristics
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting
Remove fleshy coating on seeds before storing
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Berkeley, California

ROUGH AND READY, California

Lewes, Delaware

Slaughter, Louisiana

Mashpee, Massachusetts

Jackson, Mississippi

Newark, New Jersey

Ithaca, New York

Oyster Bay, New York

Raleigh, North Carolina

Winston Salem, North Carolina(2 reports)

Albany, Oregon

Millersburg, Oregon

Salem, Oregon

Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Schwenksville, Pennsylvania

Souderton, Pennsylvania

Franklin, Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Austin, Texas

Sugar Land, Texas

Salt Lake City, Utah

Springfield, Virginia

Winchester, Virginia

Issaquah, Washington

Kirkland, Washington

Lakewood, Washington

Seattle, Washington

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Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

6
positives
3
neutrals
2
negatives
Sort By:
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D
Chico, CA | February 2020 | positive

This excellent screening plant is very easy to grow from cuttings. I have had a 100% success rate with both rooting cubes (Root Riot) an...Read More

R
(Zone 1) | January 2013 | positive

The Cherry Laurel - a native to southwest Asia, southeast Europe, Turkey and northern Iran - is a fast growing shrub/tree reaching 5 - ...Read More

S
Souderton, PA (Zone 6b) | September 2010 | positive

I have used this plant as a foundation plant in front of our front porch. We grow bonica roses in front of that . It works as a nice b...Read More

T
(Pony) Lakewood, WA (Zone 8a) | November 2009 | negative

I'll admit that these make a good privacy barrier, but really, I hate them. When they get big, they're a serious pain to keep up, you hav...Read More

C
C
New York, NY | July 2006 | neutral

We have just planted some English Laurel in our backyard. Although it's in the right position for sun exposure, we have noticed that one ...Read More

A
Berkeley, CA | August 2005 | neutral

In my Berkeley garden I have 2 of these trees. When I bought my house, they were pre-existing and looked like huge bushes. I have pruned ...Read More

J
J
jtk
Issaquah, WA (Zone 8a) | December 2004 | positive

Attractive small tree here in the Pacific Northwest. Birds do spread it through the woods and forest of the coastal Northwest USA, but th...Read More

B
| July 2004 | positive

i'm from Nis, Serbia. This town is in something I could describe as a zone 7b but not exactly as the American zone - we have some Mediter...Read More

L
| March 2004 | negative

I was excited about planting this along the property line for privacy hearing that they were deer resistant. I bought a dozen of them in...Read More

F
Augusta, GA (Zone 8a) | March 2004 | positive

The Cherry laurel grows wild in this part of Georgia and South Carolina. It is an evergreen and can be quite attractive. Bloom isn't much...Read More

E
Old Bridge, NJ (Zone 7a) | March 2004 | neutral

I planted this English Laurel in a partly shady southern exposure in front of my double windows (Zone 6B) and it thrived all summer with ...Read More

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