Portuguese cherry laurel impresses with its Mediterranean flair and easy cutting tolerance. In creative garden design, the evergreen ornamental tree is on the rise as a picturesque solitaire and elegant hedge. These instructions explain in detail how easy it is to cut a Portuguese laurel cherry.
When and how should you prune a Portuguese cherry laurel?
To properly prune a Portuguese cherry laurel, carry out a build-up pruning in February by cutting back last year's growth to 5-10 cm. Thin out the bush in late winter and trim it for summer after the flowering period.
Build-up pruning ensures dense branching
Annual pruning sets the stage at a young age so that your Portuguese cherry laurel grows dense and compact. By slowing down the growth, you create a sap build-up below the interfaces. The reserve substances contained therein encourage sleeping buds to sprout, so that the Mediterranean shrub branches lushly from the base. How to prune your cherry laurel expertly:
- Best time is in February
- Carry out the build-up cut to the desired final height
- Cut back last year's growth to 5 or 10 cm
- Cut at a short distance (3-5 mm) to a leaf, bud or sleeping eye
If you want the Portuguese laurel cherry to function as a hedge, please pay attention to a conical cutting profile. With a wide base and narrow crown, sun rays can penetrate the evergreen foliage beauties deep into the interior and stimulate the leaves to photosynthesize.
Tighten Portuguese cherry laurel regularly
Once the Portuguese cherry laurel has reached the desired level of protection, the pruning care culminates in an annual thinning pruning. A date in late winter is well tolerated by the evergreen deciduous shrub and takes into account the regulations of the Federal Nature Conservation Act.
Lighten out dead shoots at the base. Take this opportunity to cut back frozen, damaged and stunted branches back to he althy wood. One of the many advantages of the Portuguese laurel cherry is that the ornamental shrub sprouts reliably even when it is old wood. He althy, undamaged shoots are spared from scissors in late winter because they bear the buds for a fragrant flowering period in June.
Summer topiary – this is how it works
At the end of the flowering period, the window of opportunity for topiary cutting of the Portuguese laurel cherry opens. In the family garden, withered flowers should be cleaned out now before they turn into slightly poisonous drupes. Since the cutting is limited to this year's growth, you are acting in accordance with legal regulations to protect our endangered bird life. How to proceed correctly step by step:
- Check the bush for nesting birds in order to postpone the timing if necessary
- Cut back shoots that protrude out of shape with garden shears (€14.00 on Amazon) or hedge trimmer
- Cut off wilted flowers until the next he althy pair of leaves is available
Gardeners with a large hedge of Portuguese laurel cherries appreciate the smaller leaf size. In contrast to true cherry laurel, the leaves do not get caught in the blade bars of a motorized hedge trimmer, which could lead to unsightly leaf damage.
Tip
Portuguese cherry laurel benefits from planting pruning, regardless of whether you are cultivating the evergreen shrub as a hedge or as a solitary plant. Immediately after planting in spring, cut back all shoots by a third. Position the secateurs so that the cutting point is 3-5 mm above a leaf or bud.
