Lucidum Laurustinus

Lucidum Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus 'Lucidum') is the hedge to reach for when you want dense evergreen cover that also flowers. Untrimmed it settles at about 3m tall and 2.5m wide, holding glossy dark leaves down to ground level, and through the cooler months it opens pink buds into scented white flowers. Planted a metre apart it knits into a solid hedge in two to three seasons.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers when the garden is quiet. Pink buds open cream white through late autumn and winter, when most hedges do nothing.
• Dense to the base. It branches low and keeps foliage at ankle height, the difference between a screen and a row of shrubs on legs.
• Hard sites suit it. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and happy with salt and wind, so coastal and exposed boundaries work.
• Berries follow the flowers. Birds take the small blue fruit, which is mildly toxic to people and pets.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row and trim anywhere between 1.5m and 3m. Closer spacing does not close the gap faster, it only makes watering harder.

Mass planting. At 1m centres across a bank or wide bed it reads as one body of dark green, suiting long frontages and driveway edges.

Topiary and pots. Fine growth holds a clipped form: a matched pair of balls at an entry, or a standard in a large container.

Growing Lucidum Laurustinus in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest hedge and the heaviest flowering; part shade works but stays looser. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, and being frost hardy it is reliable in cold southern districts too.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil suits it provided water moves through. On heavy clay, plant on a low mound and dig compost through the whole bed. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then ease back. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again after flowering keeps the leaf colour dark and growth even.

Pruning. Trim once flowering finishes, then again in mid summer for sharp lines. It shoots from old wood, so a hedge left too long can be cut back hard and will refurnish.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in five sizes. The 140mm packs of 10, 200mm packs of 6 and 250mm packs of 3 are the sensible way to plant a long run, since smaller stock catches up within two seasons. The 300mm and 400mm plants are bushy already and give height on day one.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect little visible change for the first month, then steady growth. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Viburnum care guide for feeding and pest basics.
• How to create a great hedge, including trim timing.
• Compare the wider hedging and screening range.
• See other plants that take clipping.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. That spacing lets each plant build its own frame while the canopies still meet, giving a solid face within two to three seasons.

Can I keep it lower than 3m?

Yes. Two trims a year hold it at 1.5m to 2m, and because it reshoots from old wood it stays leafy at the base rather than lifting into bare stems.

Is it safe around pets?

The berries are mildly toxic if eaten, so we would not call it pet safe. Most dogs ignore it, but if yours grazes the garden, choose another shrub for that bed.

Will it cope with frost?

Yes, without protection once established, including tableland and cold southern winters. Young plants benefit from mulch over the root zone in their first year.