Prunus laurocerasus

?An exceptionally good shelter-belt to 18 feet? (Phillips and Barber) or a fine formally clipped hedge; large shiny evergreen leaves and vigorous dense habit. S-PSh/M/GDr

English laurel is a fast-growing broadleaf evergreen. It makes a perfect large privacy hedge. In spring, it has beautiful white flowers that later develop into attractive black fruits. English laurel is deer resistant and drought tolerant once established. It grows in full sun to partial shade and is hardy to USDA Zone 6. It is an extremely popular hedge type.

With rich evergreen foliage throughout the year and dense branches, the English laurel is a popular for those wanting a lush, formally pruned privacy screen. As it is a rather fast-growing shrub, the laurel makes an excellent choice for a taller hedge or border. There are a number of immediate benefits to choosing the English laurel for your next hedge: Lush evergreen through all seasons Quite drought tolerant and requires little or no irrigation Tolerates salt spray, which makes it great for coastal climates With a very tall maximum height, it is ideal for a higher hedge or screen The English laurel is well-suited to sunnier climates and is more drought-resistant than other shrub varieties, which makes it a popular hedge choice in the Southern U.S. An English laurel in the wild can reach up to 40 feet in height, but keeping it around 10 to 12 feet tall makes it a perfect backyard screen. The tiny clusters of cream-colored flowers that arrive in the spring are pleasantly fragrant and the namesake cherry-like fruit is beloved by a variety of local bird populations. The English laurel thrives with more direct sun in cooler climates, while it prefers some shade in more extreme heat zones. The shrub’s large, glossy evergreen leaves are beautiful and recover easily from shearing, which makes the plant great for regular prunings. Native to parts of Europe and Asia Minor, the shrub has been a popular cultivated plant since at least 1576 and has been used in the United States since the colonial era. As it is more salt-resistant than many other hedges, it is popular in warmer coastal regions. The naturally oval-shaped habit can be pruned into unique shapes, should that be desired.