Cherry laurel is an evergreen plant. Since cherry laurel is very vigorous, but tends to become bald in the lower area, it should be cut regularly. If the cherry laurel has been neglected for a long time, it is worth radically rejuvenating it. The pruning measures for the common cherry laurel also apply to the Portuguese cherry laurel.
How do you cut cherry laurel?
The ideal time for heavy pruning is between late winter and the end of February. The shrub can be cut back to a height of 30 cm. Topiary pruning can be carried out in September. Inflorescences as well as brown and diseased plant parts are removed.
When and how often should cherry laurel be cut?
- Topiary and radical pruning: Mid to late February
- Pruning: June or September
Cherry laurel (Portuguese cherry laurel 'Angustifolia' and the original form Prunus lusitanica) should generally be cutonce a yeardue to its continuous growth. Hedges can be cut up totwice a year. For solitary trees, one cut is usually enough. The ideal pruning time for radical pruning measures isMid to late February This also includes topiary pruning. The growth period of Prunus laurocerasus usually begins in March. The work should therefore be completed beforehand. In addition, from March 1st, according to nature conservation law, there will be a ban on radical pruning, which also includes topiary.
If you only want to prune once a year, September is best. If you cut twice, do the first cut in June and the second cut in September.
Excursus
Note the breeding season
The Federal Nature Conservation Act prohibits “cutting off or putting on a stick” between March 1st and September 20th. Topping just above the ground should be avoided, but light maintenance cuts are possible.
Due to its dense growth, cherry laurel offers hiding places for birds.
Sewing Basics
The growth rate of the cherry laurel varies between the individual varieties. On average, they grow up to 40 centimeters in height and up to 30 centimeters in width. Therefore, the plant offers natural privacy protection after just a few years. Particularly strong-growing species also reach heights of up to 50 centimeters per year.
Cherry laurel mainly grows upwards. Therefore, work the upper part more heavily than the lower areas.
Cutting shapes for cherry laurel
Due to the continuous growth in height and width, the exposure of the inner and lower shoots plays a major role, especially when planting hedges. Too little sunlight leads to baldness in the affected branches. As a result, leaf formation only occurs in the outer areas. In order to prevent this development, it is recommended to cut back the individual bushes in a trapezoid shape. This means that enough light reaches the lower and deeper layers.
Both for hedges and solitary planting, not all species are suitable for every type of cut. Evenly growing varieties such as Etna and Van Nes are ideal for spherical shapes. For pyramidal and trapezoidal cuts, however, a fast-growing and tall-growing genus such as Caucasica or Herbergii is recommended. You can find an overview of the properties of the other types that have been proven in practice here.
How to cut cherry laurel so that it is dense?
Pruning in late winter is particularly important for opaque and compact growth. A strong pruning shortly before the start of the growing season leads to a strong growth spurt. This in turn is responsible for the close-knit creation of the new branches. Young plants in particular should be rigorously shortened by a maximum of half each year right from the start. As you get older, cutting up to a third of the length is usually sufficient.
How to cut thick branches?
In order not to injure the shrub during pruning, some preparatory work should be done, especially with thick branches. To do this, the branch is sawn from below up to a maximum of half its thickness. Hold the branch with your other hand and make the second cut a short distance from the first lower cut. The branch should now break on its own. Make the final cut at a slight angle in the direction of growth of the astring.
The right tool
Depending on the thickness of the branches, either garden shears or hedge trimmers can be used. Due to the constant movement of the blade, mechanical saws lead to an uneven cut and unwanted injuries to the shoots. In addition to increased susceptibility to pathogens and pests, the destroyed areas and cut edges often turn an unsightly brown.
You can avoid using an electric hedge trimmer for smaller hedges. The leaves are shredded and then turn brown.
Due to the toxicity of cherry laurel, you should definitely wear gloves. The poisonous plant sap can cause skin irritation. When working on tall bushes, you should also wear safety glasses to avoid falling branches coming into your eyes.
Cut cherry laurel after planting
Young plants also need regular pruning. This promotes the denser branching of the individual shoots and thus strengthens the compactness. Up to the age of around three years, the cherry laurel should be cut back annually by half of the new growth.
This does not take into account whether the plant is planted as a solitary plant or in the form of a hedge. When it comes to hedge plants, you can also make sure that all neighboring trees have a uniform growth habit. Solitary trees that are to be brought into a special shape should ideally be introduced to this shape at an early stage.
Cutting the cherry laurel hedge
When cutting the cherry laurel hedge, sensitivity is required. The original function as a natural privacy screen must not be jeopardized by cutting back too radically. At the same time, cutting measures that are too small lead to increased aging of the inner areas. Annual pruning measures include shape and maintenance pruning. If the cherry laurel is already woody, a more radical cut is recommended.
Annual shape and care cut
When it comes to annual shape and care pruning, the most important thing is the correct shape of the individual trees. The lower part should be at least 10 cm wider than the upper part. This ensures adequate exposure of all parts of the plant. In addition, particularly long new shoots form every year, especially in the crown area. These should at least be cut back to the desired shape. It is also advisable to cut out older internal branches from above. This measure also leads to increased exposure of the inner area and reduces the risk of excessive woodiness.
The flowers that appear in early summer can also be cut off during the summer if necessary. They subsequently develop into berries that are poisonous to humans. However, both the flowers themselves and the berries are an important source of food for many animals.
In addition, cutting off the flower bases and buds was previously associated with improved cherry laurel growth. However, recent findings suggest that there is no causal connection. The extent to which you remove the inflorescences or leave them on the plant is up to you.
Rejuvenate woody cherry laurel hedge
Lignified cherry laurel hedges can be recognized by their misshapen growth and many light spots inside. The upper areas in particular are often very overgrown due to the lack of pruning for several years. Before a radical cut is made, individual cutting measures should be carried out to restore the desired shape.
However, if aging has already progressed too far, the only option is to return to the stick. To do this, the entire bush is cut back to a height of around 30 centimeters. However, this thorough cut also eliminates its usefulness as a privacy screen. Due to its continuous growth, the cherry laurel can regain a dense and uniform shape within a few years.
Cutting the cherry laurel bush
In principle, laurel bushes planted as solitary plants do not require annual pruning. Pruning essentially serves to shape the bush and curb growth in height and width. However, even individually planted specimens sometimes require pruning to prevent woodiness.
A grooming cut can be carried out in September. Remove all diseased and infected shoots and branches with frost damage. Cut back shoots that have grown out of shape and generously thin out competing inner shoots.
If the cherry laurel is too woody, cut it back radically in February. Shrubs that are particularly heavily bare should be radically cut back to the cane. The entire plant is cut back to a height of around 30 centimeters in order to achieve complete new growth. If there are still many he althy shoots on the cherry laurel, a partial pruning of the affected areas is usually sufficient.
Cutting the cherry laurel tree
To maintain the shape of the cherry laurel tree, it must be trimmed at least once a year. While the trunk usually no longer sprouts after a few years due to increasing woodiness, the crown has to be shaped again and again.
Before the new growth period begins in February, cut the shoots back to the woody area. These can be recognized by the brown bark that only forms on annual branches. The new branches are light green and significantly more flexible. This means the tree crown remains evenly round. In addition, the dead and diseased plant parts should always be removed.
The following video shows a practical example of how to optimally cut a cherry laurel as a solitary tree.
Rundum - Radikalschnitt beim Kirschlorbeer! | gardify Tipps
Pruning of diseased and infected plant parts
Basically, the cherry laurel is well protected against the most common pathogens and pests. It also has a high frost tolerance. Nevertheless, already weakened plants can be put under additional strain by external dangers.
Frost damage: Since the cherry laurel only renews its evergreen foliage in very irregular cycles, frost-damaged plant parts usually naturally remain on the plant. However, since these look unsightly and represent a target for pests and pathogens, they should be removed promptly. In order to be able to close the cut surfaces as quickly as possible, it is recommended to cut back the affected areas in spring.
Diseases: The most common diseases of cherry laurel are leaf edge necrosis, powdery mildew, downy mildew and shotgun disease. Detailed overviews of the individual causes, the correct control and preventive measures can be found here. In any case, the affected areas should be cut back extensively to prevent the fungus from spreading further. If the disease has already progressed too far, the last option is to radically cut it back to the cane.
feeding damage: Most feeding damage is caused by infestation with black weevils. These leave semicircular eating spots on the edges of the leaves. Due to their nocturnal activity, the insects, which are only a few centimeters long, can only be controlled with live traps made of clay pots and nematodes. Other common pests include aphids and leaf miners, although their damage patterns differ significantly from those of the black weevil. For more information about these beetles, see this article.
Dispose of clippings
In principle, cherry laurel clippings can also be left to rot in the compost. However, due to the slow rotting process, not all thick plant residues should be added to the compost. Depending on the nature of the leaves and shoots, disposal in the organic waste bin or residual waste bin may also be an option. The latter is particularly suitable for diseased shoots, as they should not be returned to the biological cycle.
FAQ
How fast does cherry laurel grow?
The annual growth rate varies depending on the variety planted. While fast-growing varieties grow up to 50 centimeters per year, slow-growing varieties sometimes only achieve growth rates of 20 centimeters per year.
When is cherry laurel cut for the first time?
Cherry laurel is cut when planted in the first year. This enables denser branching of the individual shoots and leads to compact growth.
What happens if cherry laurel is not cut?
Due to the strong growth in height and width, the inner areas are becoming increasingly bare as the exposure continues to decrease. In addition, pathogens or pests can nest in the dead branches.
How do you cut cherry laurel?
Due to its high pruning tolerance, cherry laurel can also be cut back very radically if necessary. Especially if rejuvenation cutting is necessary, the shrub can be shortened to a height of 30 centimeters. During maintenance pruning, only the shoot lengths are generally shortened and diseased parts of the plant are removed.
When do you cut cherry laurel?
There are two fixed dates a year for cutting laurel. While late winter is the main time for shape and maintenance pruning, additional, lighter pruning can be carried out from June to autumn. In particular, the inflorescences are removed and smaller topiary cuts are made.
