When to plant and prune Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurel flowers from mid April to mid May and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Cherry Laurel is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| South Coast and Channel | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| South East and Home Counties | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| East Anglia | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Wales and West Coast | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Northern England | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Northern Ireland | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early September to late October | mid April to mid May | late May to late August |
Growing notes
Fast, cheap, dense evergreen screening that tolerates shade, which is why it is everywhere; the trade-offs are its bulk, its toxicity and a coarse look next to yew or hornbeam. Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica) is a neater, smaller-leaved alternative with the same shade tolerance.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 60 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 250 cm
- Eventual spread
- 150 cm
- Hardiness
- H5
- Sun
- Partial
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- No
- Balcony rating
- 1 out of 5
Feeding
Usually robust enough not to need feeding; a general fertiliser in late winter only if growth is poor.
Pruning: what to avoid
Two safety points, not just tidiness. Cut foliage releases cyanide compounds, so never shred or bag laurel clippings in an unventilated space or leave them where pets or livestock can reach them. Do not cut hedges between March and August without checking first: under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built, and the main UK nesting season runs from about early March to August.
Pruning group
Trim twice during the growing season; large-leaved laurel looks better cut with secateurs than shredded by a trimmer
Bare-root season
Bare-root stock is lifted and sold while dormant, from early November to late February. Container-grown plants can go in at other times of year, but bare-root is cheaper and establishes well.
What usually goes wrong
- powdery mildew causing holes and tattering in the leaves
- bacterial shothole
- leaf spot fungi
- outgrows the space allowed for it
- toxic clippings
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for cherry laurel.