Cherry Laurel Hedge

Fast, dense evergreen screening

Cherry Laurel keeps its large, glossy leaves all year, so it screens just as well in winter as in summer. Once established it typically grows around 30–60cm a year, which makes it one of the quickest ways to turn a new boundary into a private garden. It is fully hardy in the UK and copes with wind and urban conditions well.

Easy to keep thick, and very forgiving

Cherry Laurel branches readily when it is trimmed, so regular cutting keeps the hedge dense from the ground up. Unlike Leylandii, it regrows from old wood, so an overgrown or leggy Laurel hedge can be cut back hard and renovated rather than replaced.

Value for wildlife

An untrimmed or lightly trimmed hedge produces spikes of white flowers in spring that are visited by bees, followed by berries that ripen from red to black and are eaten by birds. A dense evergreen hedge also gives nesting and roosting cover all year.

Cherry Laurel compared with other screening hedges

For a finer, more formal look or a slightly narrower hedge, compare Portuguese Laurel. For maximum speed in a sunny spot, see our Leylandii hedging.

Soil and drainage

Cherry Laurel grows in most UK soils, including heavy clay, provided the ground does not stay waterlogged. It is less happy on very shallow chalk, where leaves can turn yellow. On heavy or compacted ground, prepare the whole planting strip rather than individual holes so water can drain away. If leaves do turn yellow, our answer to Why are my Laurel leaves turning yellow? explains the usual causes.

Sun and shade

It grows well in full sun and copes with a surprising amount of shade, which makes it useful under taller trees and beside buildings. Dry shade under established trees is still demanding, because the new hedge competes for water, so keep it well watered through its first summer.

Space and safety

Cherry Laurel has large leaves and makes a wide hedge, so allow room for it to be kept at least 60–90cm deep. The leaves and seeds are poisonous if eaten, so think carefully about planting it where livestock graze or dogs like to chew. Read Is Laurel poisonous to dogs? and Are Laurel berries poisonous? for the detail.

How fast does Cherry Laurel grow?

Once established, Cherry Laurel typically grows 30–60cm a year, depending on soil, light and watering. Expect less top growth in the first season while the roots establish. If you need a screen quickly, larger root-balled plants or instant hedging give height from day one.

How far apart should Cherry Laurel be planted?

Plant in a single row. As a guide, plant 20–30cm bare-root plants at 5 per metre and 30–80cm plants at 4 per metre. Pot-grown plants from 60–120cm go in at 3 per metre, and root-balled plants from 125–225cm at 2 per metre. Instant hedging is sold by the metre, so you simply buy the length of your hedge. See our guide to planting a Laurel hedge for step-by-step planting.

When and how to prune

Trim an established hedge once or twice a year, typically after flowering in late spring and again in late summer, and always check for nesting birds first. Cutting individual shoots with secateurs avoids the browned, half-cut leaves that hedge trimmers leave behind. A hedge that has become too big can be cut back hard in late winter or early spring and will shoot again from the old wood. Our How to prune a Laurel hedge guide and When should I prune a Laurel hedge? answer cover timing in detail, and our Laurel hedge care guide covers watering and feeding.