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Portuguese Laurel Hedging (Prunus Lusitanica)

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Portuguese Laurel Hedging (Prunus Lusitanica)

Prunus Lusitanica, commonly known as The Portuguese Laurel, is a sophisticated evergreen hedging plant. It is known for its dense structure and stunning appearance, it has become a favourite among gardeners and landscapers globally. 

What are the different varieties of Portuguese Laurel Hedging? 

Prunus Brenelia - it is remarkably similar to the Angustifolia variety but has larger leaves. The stalks and new stems are a rich burgundy-red colour throughout the year. It grows moderately and very dense into a regular, pyramidal shrub. 

Prunus Lusitanica Angustifolia- has narrow, pointed, deep-green glossy leaves borne on striking, red-coloured stems. This type also has small, fragrant white flowers which blossom in summer. 

Prunus Lusitanica Myrtifolia - This style of Portuguese Laurel has longer and narrower leaves, they grow on maroon/purple stems giving it an interesting appearance and providing a pop of colour all year long. 

Where to site your Portuguese Laurel Hedging:

Portuguese Laurel Hedging thrives in moist, well-drained soils and can even flourish in poor, shallow, chalky soils. Prunus Lusitanica is highly adaptable, tolerating cold and exposed sites, heavy clay soils, and full shade. To maintain their health, a general-purpose feed like chicken pellets or bone meal can be applied twice a year. 

Growth

Portuguese Laurel Hedging can reach heights of up to 8 meters, with an annual growth rate of 30-50cm. This variety grows at a moderate pace, making it easy to prune and maintain without worrying about it becoming unruly. 

To ensure your Portuguese Laurel Hedging remains healthy and vibrant, it's advisable to remove berries and flowers. This helps the plant focus its energy on producing lush, green leaves rather than decorative berries and flowers. But this is completely your choice! 

Can I maintain this type of hedge? 

The Portuguese Laurel Hedging reacts well to being pruned and can be trimmed into a variety of shapes and sizes. This should be done around twice a year. 

As with any type of laurel hedging, it is important to carry out ongoing maintenance and care is essential to ensure your hedge stays healthy and looks its best.

Caring Tips for Portuguese Laurel Hedging:
Watering
  • Plenty of Water: Ensure deep and regular watering to keep your hedge thriving. Adjust based on rainfall and season.
  • New Hedge: Water every 2-3 times a week during the summer months.
  • Established Hedge: Water at least once a week, whilst referring to point one
  • Dry Periods: Regular watering is crucial, especially during dry spells. Portuguese Laurel Hedging can tolerate brief droughts better than Cherry Laurel Hedging, see points 2 and 3.
Pruning
  • Maintain Shape: Pruning is essential for controlling growth and keeping your hedge neat.
  • Careful Trimming: Due to its slower growth rate compared to Cherry Laurel, avoid cutting back too far to prevent branch exposure and potential damage.
Climate Considerations
  • Environmental Impact: The placement of your hedge significantly affects its health and growth rate.
  • Soil Conditions: Avoid planting in waterlogged or heavy clay soils. If necessary, good drainage should be implemented to prevent root rot and hedge death.
Signs of Disease and Pest: what to look out for and how to care for your poorly Laurel:
Stress Response
  • Newly planted Laurel hedge plants, especially bare roots, or root ball plants, may experience leaf drops, particularly in harsh winter conditions or rapid spring warm-ups, especially when planted late in the season. This is a stress response aimed at conserving water, causing leaves to turn yellow and fall off.
Powdery Mildew
  • Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease affecting Laurel hedging, characterised by a white powdery coating on leaf surfaces. As the fungus progresses, affected leaf tissue may turn brown and die, often leaving young leaves with holes, brown patches, and ragged edges. Typically, Powdery Mildew is not a serious issue, and as environmental conditions improve, affected plants will recover on their own. If you are particularly worried, you can opt to trim away the affected leaves for aesthetic purposes.
Shot Hole
  • Shot hole is a disease that may affect Laurel hedge plants, caused by either bacteria or fungi. It presents brown spots on the leaf surfaces. As the plant combats the disease, affected spots may drop out, creating holes in the leaves, often surrounded by yellowish halos.
Vine Weevils
  • These are six-legged insects (black) that can affect the hedge all year round! The adults attack the leaves through summer and autumn, whereas the baby vine weevils attack the roots during winter.
Slugs
  • Slugs are mostly a problem for new hedging plants. Use organic slug pellets to control them. Make sure not to use pesticides as it can affect the health and growth of your plant.
Frost Damage
  • Another main problem that can afflict laurel hedging is frost damage! Autumn damage often results from early frosts, affecting tender late growth which may blacken and shrivel. To prevent fungal infections, trim affected shoots back to healthy wood, especially in young Common Laurel plants. Winter frost can cause brown patches on all types of established Laurels, particularly when exposed to cold winds without snow cover. While affected hedging plants may appear unsightly until late spring, new growth typically replaces browned leaves by then.
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