Eastern laurel Prunus laurocerasus is always a green shrub or a low tree growing up to 4 meters.It has green shoots with leathery, thick and shiny leaves (they do not fall in winter).The plant has many properties that help in the garden, such as repelling pests. In May, laurel bushes are decorated with creamy-white fragrant flowers, while in August, shiny black fruits ripen in clusters.
Varieties of laurels
Horticultural varieties of laurel trees differ in height, color and shape of the leaves. The most popular are:
- 'Angustifolia' - with narrow long leaves (12-18 cm), 'Brachystachys' - of Caucasian origin, more resistant to low temperatures, 'Ca- melliifolia' - shrub with a slender room,
- 'Caucasica' - of Caucasian origin, with large leaves (12-18 cm long and 8-12 cm wide) rounded at the apex,
- 'Compacta' - a low shrub (up to 1.5 m) with very dark leaves, 'Fiesseriana' - a shrub with a rounded crown, narrow at the bottom,
- 'Herbergii' - a wide shrub tapering towards the top,
- 'Latifolia' - with very large leaves,
- 'Magnoliaeflora' - with large leaves that resemble large-flowered magnolia leaves,
- 'Marbled White' - shrub growing up to 2-2.5 m with white-flecked leaves, 'Mocrophylla' - with small leaves,
- 'Otto Luyken' - low, branchy shrubs (up to 1-1.5 m) with dark green shiny narrow leaves. The latter is the most popular variety propagated in Polish nurseries. The shrubs bloom profusely and repeat blooming in autumn.
Among other varieties it is worth mentioning :
- 'Psonardii' - a shrub that grows strongly with large dark green leaves 'Pyramidalis' - with a pyramidal crown,
- 'Reynvaanii' - grows up to 1.5 m, has dull light green leaves, 'Rotundifolia' - with round leaves,
- ’Schipkaensis’ - of Bulgarian origin, vigorously growing (grows up to 2 m) with narrow leaves (12 cm long),
- ’Schipkaensis Macrophylla’ - large-leaved (elliptical leaves, pointed on the top),
- ’Serbica’ - of Serbian origin,shrub with a spherical shapeand compact with short erect branches.
Where is laurel planted?
Laurowiśniaplanted in western Poland does not require covering for the winter, while in other regions it is recommended to cover it during colder days.In the garden, he feels best in high humidity, in a sheltered and quiet position. There are no special requirements for soil conditions. It grows well in any soil with regulated water conditions (preferably constantly evenly moist).
Laurowiśnia requires a sandy loam soil, or a sandy loam, warm, neutral or alkaline soil. In places with sandy and dry soil, shrubs grow very slowly (during drought they should be watered because they are sensitive to water shortage). It is good to cover the surface of the bed with a 5 cm layer of mulch (preferably composted bark) and fertilize in spring with multi-component fertilizers, which will contribute to better wintering of the bushes.
Laurowiśnia grows best in shade or partial shade, but does not like the position of intense sunlight.Shrubs feel good under the crowns of trees (preferably those with always green leaves). Frost damages regenerate extremely well - they overwinter without any damage covered with snow, which protects them from freezing.When snow is scarce, it is a good idea to shield the shrubs (but not cover them) from excessively intense sun as well as from freezing drying winds. Damaged shoots should be trimmed to a he althy place.
Application of eastern laurel
The use of Eastern laurel in ornamental horticulture is versatile. Due to its small dimensions, this plant is suitable for planting in home gardens. Shrubs planted in homogeneous groups and always green with other shrubs look very effective.Laurowiśnia can also be used as undercoat under the canopy of large trees (e.g. under oaks).
When planting laurel bush bushes under the treetops, make sure that they are not located in close range of the roots, which may compete with the bushes for water and mineral s alts. The shrubs can also be used to strengthen slopes in the form of uncut rows.
The laurel bushes perfectly tolerate pruning, so they are suitable for hedges or other plant shapes. Shrubs are best pruned after flowering in May or June (until the first half of July).During this treatment, however, try not to damage the leaves, otherwise they may turn brown and dry.
Laurel shrubs go well with large-leaved perennials, such as funkia, bergenia or rodgersja, and when planted together with ferns, they add patina and color to the garden.Laurowiśnia can also be planted in various types of containers and used to decorate the interior of buildings, e.g. large and bright office buildings.
Breeding laurel leaves
Laurel trees are reproduced mainly from shoot cuttings prepared from August to March. They are placed in a sterile substrate in a greenhouse or foil tunnels, where they root very quickly.We carry out the amateur reproduction of laurel leaves in the gardens from root deposits and suckers.
Treatment of frostbite of eastern laurel
During strong frosty winds shoots and leaves freeze in Prunus laurocerasus.The blowing wind dries the shoots and leaves, which transpire the water intensively, unable to get it from the frozen soil.That is why it is very important to protect the bushes with a cloth or fleece, which can partially compensate for the destructive effects of winds. It is also important to mulch the soil with bark or other material to prevent deep freezing of the soil profile.
In spring (in the last decade of March), cut the frozen shoots with leaves to a he althy place, that is, where the shoots and leaves are not brownish gray. Such damaged shoots will dry out over time. After cutting the dead sections of the shoots, the bushes should be fed with good compost or multi-component fertilizer.It is also good to replenish the litter, and during drought, water the bushes once a week with 10-15 liters of water.
Plant Encyclopedia: laurel wreath
Cutting forming eastern laurel
Evergreen shrubs, such as laurel, are very versatile. They can be grown as solitary or in group plantings, e.g. as a hedge. The bushes are pruned from spring to late summer. With the exception of a few exceptions (including Irgi and Olive trees), most shrubs tolerate deep cuts to strong, leafless shoots. Taki type of treatment does not harm even rhododendrons, which, with proper care, quickly regain strength.
Cutting evergreen conifers looks completely different. Strong pruning of pine, spruce or fir does not stimulate plants to sprout new shoots. The same is also the case of thuja, cypress and juniper. Therefore, only those shoots that are not the important building blocks of the crown are removed for care.
In fir and spruce (apart from the spruce planted in the form of a hedge), it is not recommended to even shorten the main shoot, because the new apical shoots, which they break out at the cut, grow diagonally upwards. The tip no longer sets, as a result the plants look deformed. The only coniferous woody plant that knocks out of old shoots is yew.
