Portuguese Laurel

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica) is the hedge to choose when you want formal structure without the slow pace of buxus. Left alone it makes a small tree of about 5m tall and 3m wide, holding glossy dark green leaves on coral red stems all year. Clipped, it forms a crisp dense face, furnished to the ground. Scented white flower spikes follow in late spring.

Why you'll love it

• It takes clipping better than almost anything. Fine leaves and dense branching give a sharp edge after a trim, and it reshoots from old wood if a hedge gets away from you.
• Any height you like. Hold it at 1.5m as a low formal hedge, 3m as a boundary screen, or let it run to 5m as a small evergreen tree.
• Red stems against dark green. New growth pushes out on coral red stalks, which lifts it above a plain green wall.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, wind tolerant, salt tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so it handles cold southern gardens and exposed coastal blocks.

Where it works best

Hedging and screening. Plant 1m apart in a single row. That spacing closes into a solid face within two to three seasons and leaves room to work a trimmer along both sides.

Topiary and shaping. The small leaves take a clean cut, so it suits cones, standards, pleached screens and clipped balls in pots.

Feature planting. Grown on a single trunk it makes a tidy 5m evergreen specimen for a courtyard.

Growing Portuguese Laurel in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, though sun gives the densest hedge. Cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens suit it best, and its frost hardiness makes it one of the better formal hedges for cold inland and southern districts. In humid subtropical gardens growth is looser and fungal leaf spot more likely.

Soil. Well drained soil of any type, slightly acidic to neutral. For a hedge, prepare a trench rather than individual holes so the roots run freely along the row. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer drives the two growth flushes a formal hedge needs.

Pruning. Two trims a year hold a sharp face: one after the spring flush, one in late summer. For a hard renovation, cut back in early spring and it will break from bare wood.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in nine sizes, from 140mm packs of ten through to 200L. The 140mm, 200mm and 250mm packs are the value choice for a long run: young plants, a season slower to close, but priced for the numbers a hedge needs. From 45L upwards you are buying real height and a formed shape on day one.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect new growth within about six weeks in the warm season, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare hedging and screening plants
• Browse the topiary and shaping range
• How to create a great hedge and keep it sharp
• Screening plants from 4m to 8m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. At that spacing the canopies meet and the hedge reads as solid within two to three seasons, with no thin patch along the base.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The foliage and seed contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic to pets if eaten. Sweep up clippings after a trim rather than leaving them where an animal might chew them.

Can I keep it at 1.5m?

Yes, easily. Two trims a year hold it between 1.5m and 3m, and because it shoots from old wood it stays dense at the base instead of lifting into bare legs.