Planting English laurel bushes is not a difficult task , but these gaudy , low-pitched - upkeep shrubs may not be the proper option for every garden . Sometimes call cherry bay wreath , the English bay wreath ( Prunus laurocerasus ) farm best in USDA plant hardiness zones 6a to 8b and will adapt to a range of growing conditions from alkaline soil to common salt spray , although they will not brook poor drainage or very sullen soil .
Although English honor are adaptable and versatile shrubs that require petty upkeep , they have traits that make them undesirable for many gardener . So it is good to learn about them before deciding to institute them at abode .
About English Laurel Bushes
English honour are evergreen shrubs grown for their glossy , dark fleeceable foliage and showy bloodless blossom , which shape 4 - in - long racemes during the spring . The pollenate flowers work cluster of bootleg fruit that attract skirt and other wildlife .
These shrubs or small tree are fast - growing and will reach a mature height of 10 to 20 metrical unit with a spreading growth habit .
English laurels have evergreen plant leaves that make them well - befit for use as a privacy screen or as a hedgerow . Laurel hedges can be left informal with minimum pruning or they can be sheared into a formal hedge .
Warning
English Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel are super toxic to humans and beast when ingested ; the stem , parting and seed all contain cyanide . Take critical precautions if implant this in your landscape painting , especially if you have beast such as horse that may graze .
English laurels form heavily scented flowers in outflow that theNorth Carolina State University Extensiondescribes as " disgustingly fragrant , " so gardeners with a sensitive olfactory organ may desire to plant a different species .
Tip
For small gardens , choose a nanus form of English Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel such as Otto Luyken ( Prunus laurocerasus’Otto Luyken ' ) , which grows in USDA zona 6 to 9 and pass a fledged height of 3 metrical foot with a 6 - foot spread .
Planting English Laurel Shrubs
Grow English Laurel shrubs in full sun in USDA zone 6 to 7 and under partial shade in USDA zone 8 , where the climate is hotter and the sunshine more intense . Moist , acidic land that is high in organic matter is better for growing English bay wreath , but they will stick out most soil types as long as it is well - drain soil .
1.Plant English laurelsin spring after the last frost . They can also be implant in fall in USDA zone 8 where winters are middling mild . 2 . Dig a planting hole that istwo to three times widerthan the original nursery pot and approximately1 inch shallower — you want the roots to sit more or less gamy than the surround stain , because they will finally settle . 3 . blank space the planting holes harmonise to the bush ’s fledged size . For standard English honor , space them 6 feet apart for a tighter hedgerow and 12 feet apart for a loose , more informal hedging . quad dwarf honour such as Otto Luyken 6 feet apart . 4 . Remove the bush from its pot and massage the rootball to loosen the roots . smoke - bound beginning can be cut in one or two berth with a keen , sanitised knife , which will boost the roots to spread . 5 . go down the rootball into the planting golf hole . nurse the bush upright while fill up in the hole with soil . tot grease until the roots are secure in the earth , but do not pile soil on top of the rootage ball . 6 . Water English Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel shrubs deeply after planting . Spread a 1- to 2 - column inch - thick layer of shredded barque mulch over the origin zone . allow a 1- to 2 - inch blank between the mulch level and the basis of the trunk and extend the mulch out beyond the leaf canopy .
Wet grunge direct to root system problems in English laurels . So do not institute them where water pools or drains easy after rainfall .
Growing English Laurel Shrubs
English Stan Laurel shrubs need unconstipated care during their first growing season to help get them off to a beneficial start , but they are comparatively low - alimony shrub , once build .
Watering English Laurels
English laurels tolerate drought , but they need regular tearing for their first year or two in the garden . When lachrymation , be certain to direct the water system toward the ground to keep it off the foliage .
allow 1 in of urine each week during modest weather condition and up to 2 in during hot , dry weather . Monroviarecommends waiting until the soil feels wry in the top 2 column inch before water English laurels , which will assist prevent root problems .
Feeding English Laurels
Fertilize in former springiness as the shrub is starting to put on fresh growth . English laurels should not be fed after midsummer , because the new leaf may not have prison term to mature before the first Robert Frost .
One diligence of dense - release fertilizer in fountain is okay for English Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel shrubs grow in rich soil , but those rise in sandy soil or in partial sun may benefit more from a light app of well - rotted manure compost in springtime and again in midsummer .
Before pruning , wipe down your pruning shear with household antimicrobial to kill off any harmful fungal spores or bacteria .
Pruning English Laurels
Pruning English laurels is entirely optional . As a general rule , these tight - maturate shrubs do not need any pruning until their 2d or third twelvemonth . Pruning should be done immediately after the bush finish florescence in spring .
Prune to remove any undesirable increment throughout the farm time of year . Shear the bush to create a tidy , conventional shape , if desire . Shearing is primarily done in spring after blooming , but it can be maintained throughout the growing time of year .
