Portugal Laurel / Portuguese Laurel / Prunus lusitanica
The Portugal laurel, Prunus lusitanica, has all the same strengths as common laurel and prettier spring foliage. The young leaves and stalks are pink tinged, giving the plants an attractive blush that deepens into a rich evergreen tone. A Portugal laurel hedge is a fine sight in spring and, if it is not pruned hard, it will be covered in cones of small, white, headily scented flowers in June that will keep your local bees very happy. These flowers will ripen into dark, shiny berries that aren't especially decorative and which are inedible to humans, though they will attract blackbirds and thrushes. A Prunus lusitanica hedge is dense, with thick, rigid leaves that provide a very good barrier to noise. We highly recommend it if your garden borders a road, as they are not affected by pollution or compacted soil. Portugal laurel is a great plant for problem spots with thick shade and dry soil, such as under big trees or against a north facing wall. Though they are hardy plants, Portugese laurels come from Mediterranean areas and are sure to continue to do well in Britain if our climate does indeed warm.
Planting Potted Portuguese laurel: If you have a shady site with awful, dry soil that has you wondering what on earth you can plant there, think about Portugal laurel. Like its common laurel cousin, Prunus lusitanica is an easy plant to please it is shade tolerant and will be happy in any well drained soil, including shallow chalk. The advantage of using potted plants is that you can plant them all through the summer - remember to water them well while they are establishing and it is easier to look after your plants if there is some delay between their arrival and planting day. It is always a good isea to give them a real soaking the night before they are planted and again immediately after you plant them. Loosen up the roots and don't worry about tearing a few of the small ones.
Please note that our variety is Prunus lusitanica angustifolia
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