Prunus lusitanica 'Angustifolia'
Portuguese Laurel boasts dark green, luscious glossy, and pointed leaves, on distinctive deep pink/maroon stems - the perfect hedging favourite.
Sitting as quite an elegant evergreen hedge, Portuguese Laurel also offers delicate, fragrant, small white flowers that blossom in Summer and easily attract the bees and butterflies - as well as delivering small red fruits for the birds. It is the perfect hedge for offering wind protection, noise reduction and year-round screening, as well as being a reasonably fast growing, compact hedge, proving it to be suitable for any garden style.
Prunus lusitanica Angustifolia is rather easy to grow and can tolerate all soil conditions/situations (even dry shade)- Chalk soils are a great choice for the Portuguese Laurel. Though, we do recommend that, if growing in dry shade, you keep the plant fed and moist until it is established, and we do not advise planting in coastal positions. It is rather hardy and resilient, but some wind protection may also be needed in places where windburn could be seen as a potential problem. You must also note that the leaves and berries are harmful if eaten, as with other varieties in the Laurel family (except Bay).
| Growth Rate | Average (20-40cm per year) |
| Ideal Height | 2.5m+ Tall |
| Soil Type | Normal |
| Exposure | Exposed, inland |
| Aspect | Full shade, full sun, semi-shade |
| Evergreen Foliage? | Yes |
The Portuguese Laurel hedging plant has a medium growth rate, meaning it is rather easy to maintain and shape. You should find it only needs one trim a year (in late Summer), however, if you want it to grow very tall, pruning can be left longer than this.
When should I plant?
The best time, in general, to plant your hedging is during the autumn, but potted plants can be planted at any time of year if they get enough water, and the ground is not frozen.
How far apart do you plant?
Depending on the size of plant, you will need to place your hedging plants around 2ft apart. This does depend on how quickly you're looking for the hedge to establish, however, as we recommend up to 5 plants per metre for the smaller plant sizes.
How to plant:
Ensure the area is clear of other plants, weeds, and grass first.
Dig the holes or a trench for the plants, that's twice the width of the plant's base. When you are digging the hole, ensure you have churned it up at the bottom so the roots can settle easier. If you have a very sandy/hardy soil, then put in some loam-based compost. In terms of normal soil, you will need some controlled-release feed to give the planting a starting boost.
Once this is all done, you can put the plant in! Place it into the middle of the hole carefully and slowly, making sure the top of the roots are 1/2 inch below the soils surface. Refill the hole, then press gently around the edges to secure the soil.
| Order Value | Standard Delivery Charge (Inc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| £0.00 - £49.99 | £7.50 |
| £50.00 - £99.99 | £13.80 |
