Big Deal Portuguese Laurel Hedging 100/120cm Root Ball x 20

Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica) – Refined, Hardy Evergreen for Hedging, Topiary & Specimen Planting

Prunus lusitanica, universally known as Portuguese Laurel, is one of the most distinguished evergreen shrubs and small trees available for UK gardens. Its deep, glossy green leaves, carried on eye-catching crimson-red stalks, give it a polished, refined character that sets it well apart from the bolder, coarser laurels. Equally versatile as a clipped formal hedge, a precisely sculpted topiary piece, a tall privacy screen, or a graceful multi-stemmed specimen tree, it earns a place in gardens of every scale and style.

More moderate in pace than Cherry Laurel, Portuguese Laurel builds steadily into a dense, shapely plant of lasting quality. In early summer it produces long, slender racemes of small, creamy-white flowers carrying a soft, pleasant fragrance, followed in autumn by strings of small fruits that ripen from bright red to deep purple-black — greatly valued by garden birds. Tough, long-lived, and reliably hardy across all UK regions, this is a plant that improves with age and rewards every garden that gives it space.

Key Features

• Handsome dark green foliage on distinctive crimson-red stalks — ornamental year-round

• Superb for formal hedging, topiary, tall screening, or specimen planting

• Fragrant white flower racemes in early summer, followed by wildlife-friendly fruits

• Fully hardy and tolerant of coastal, exposed, and urban conditions

• More refined and elegant in habit than Cherry Laurel — a premium choice for quality gardens

Growing Conditions

Position: Prunus lusitanica thrives in full sun or partial shade and shows excellent tolerance of exposed, windy sites, making it a dependable choice for coastal gardens, open boundary plantings, and north-facing aspects. Growth may be a little more open in deep shade, but the plant remains healthy and presentable even in less favourable light conditions.

Soil: Adaptable to a wide range of soil types — including chalk, clay, loam, and sandy soils — provided drainage is reasonably good. It prefers a moist, fertile growing medium but establishes comfortably in drier soils once its root system has properly settled in. Avoid permanently waterlogged or compacted ground, which may cause root stress over time.

Hardiness: Fully hardy throughout the UK and capable of tolerating temperatures well below freezing without significant damage. Portuguese Laurel shows greater cold resilience than many other evergreen species, making it a reliable choice for northerly, upland, and more exposed garden positions.

Habit & Appearance

Foliage: The leaves are oval, pointed, and a deep lustrous dark green — notably smaller and more refined than those of Cherry Laurel — borne on striking crimson-red petioles that provide a subtle but year-round colour accent. Foliage is held densely and consistently, giving clipped specimens a crisp, precise finish and free-growing plants a naturally full, rounded outline.

Flowers & Fruit: In early to midsummer, slender, graceful racemes of small creamy-white flowers appear in abundance, carrying a delicate, hawthorn-like fragrance. These give way to chains of small oval fruits that ripen from vivid red to deep purple-black through autumn, providing an attractive seasonal display and a valuable food source for birds and other wildlife.

Ultimate Size: Left unpruned, Portuguese Laurel will develop into a large, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, typically reaching 6–10m in height with a naturally rounded, well-clothed crown. Growth is considerably more moderate than Cherry Laurel — typically 20–40cm per year in good conditions — making it straightforward to manage and maintain at a chosen height with only occasional attention.

Care & Pruning

Watering: Water regularly throughout the first growing season to encourage strong root establishment. Once settled, Portuguese Laurel is notably drought-tolerant and largely self-sufficient under typical UK rainfall. During prolonged dry spells, newly planted specimens will benefit from supplementary irrigation until fully established.

Feeding: Apply a balanced general-purpose fertiliser in early spring to support healthy, vigorous growth — particularly useful in leaner soils. An annual mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the base will help conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and steadily improve soil structure and fertility.

Pruning: For a formal hedge or shaped specimen, trim once a year in late summer. Where a tighter, crisper finish is desired, a light additional pass in late spring will maintain a neat outline between the main cuts. Portuguese Laurel clips cleanly and holds its shape exceptionally well, making it one of the finest choices available for topiary and precise formal work. Use sharp secateurs or good-quality hedging shears, and aim to preserve the natural elegance of the plant's growth habit. When grown as a free-standing specimen or small tree, very little pruning is required — simply remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches in late spring to keep the framework open and well-balanced.

Pests & Disease: Portuguese Laurel is generally healthy, robust, and notably resistant to the diseases that can occasionally trouble other laurel species. Soft new growth in spring may occasionally attract