Prunus Novita Pleached 8-10cm G 180cm St, 120cm Tall x 120cm Wide Root Ball Delivery November

Cherry Laurel 'Novita' (Prunus 'Novita') – A Superior Evergreen for Hedging, Screening & Formal Planting

Prunus 'Novita' is a selected cultivar of Cherry Laurel that represents one of the finest choices available for garden screening and formal hedging. Combining the vigour and reliability that makes Cherry Laurel such a popular evergreen with a notably upright, well-structured habit, 'Novita' delivers dense, year-round coverage with a more refined, manageable form than the straight species. Its bold, glossy foliage creates an impressive living screen that remains attractive in every season.

Where a strong, fast-establishing hedge or windbreak is needed — without the spreading, irregular character that can make other Cherry Laurels harder to control — 'Novita' stands out as a particularly practical and handsome solution. In spring it produces upright spikes of small white flowers, adding seasonal charm to its structural qualities, and these are followed by dark, cherry-like fruits that prove irresistible to garden birds.

Key Features

• Vigorous, upright evergreen with large, bold, highly glossy dark green foliage

• Excellent choice for formal and informal hedging, screening, and windbreaks

• More strongly upright in habit than the species — easier to manage and keep tidy

• White flower spikes in spring, followed by wildlife-friendly dark fruits in autumn

• Tolerant of shade, exposed positions, urban pollution, and a wide range of soils

• Responds well to clipping — suitable for both formal and relaxed planting styles

Growing Conditions

Position: Prunus 'Novita' thrives in full sun, partial shade, or full shade, making it one of the most adaptable evergreen shrubs available. It performs reliably on north-facing boundaries and beneath tree canopies where many other plants would struggle. It is also highly tolerant of exposed, windy, and urban conditions.

Soil: Accommodating across a broad range of soil types, including clay, chalk, loam, and sandy soils, as long as drainage is reasonably good. It prefers a moist, fertile growing medium but establishes well in drier conditions once the root system is properly settled. Avoid permanently waterlogged or boggy ground, which can cause root problems over time.

Hardiness: Fully hardy throughout the UK and able to withstand hard frosts without significant damage. A reliably tough and dependable choice for all UK regions, including more northerly and exposed locations.

Habit & Appearance

Foliage: The leaves are large, leathery, and a deep, lustrous green with a notably glossy surface finish — bold and striking throughout the year. Fresh growth emerges in bright lime-green flushes before deepening to the characteristic rich dark tone, providing attractive seasonal variation during the growing period. The foliage is held densely, giving clipped specimens a full, even appearance.

Flowers & Fruit: In mid to late spring, 'Novita' produces erect racemes of small white flowers with a light, pleasant fragrance — a welcome and often underappreciated display before the flush of new growth takes over. These are followed in autumn by clusters of small, dark purple-black fruits that ripen attractively and provide a valuable food source for birds and other wildlife.

Ultimate Size: Left unpruned, 'Novita' will develop into a large, strongly upright shrub reaching 4–6m in height with a more columnar, contained spread than the typical species. Growth is vigorous — typically 30–60cm per year in good conditions — but the naturally upright habit means it is considerably easier to maintain at a chosen size without the plant spreading excessively. Regular pruning will keep it compact and dense at virtually any desired height.

Care & Pruning

Watering: Water regularly throughout the first growing season to encourage strong root establishment. Once well settled, 'Novita' is notably resilient and largely self-sufficient under typical UK rainfall conditions. In prolonged dry spells, newly planted specimens will benefit from supplementary watering until fully established.

Feeding: Apply a balanced general-purpose fertiliser in early spring to support healthy, vigorous growth, particularly in poorer or leaner soils. An annual mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the base will help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and steadily improve soil condition over time.

Pruning: For a formal hedge or clipped screen, trim once or twice a year — ideally in late spring after flowering and again in late summer if a particularly neat finish is required. Where possible, use sharp secateurs rather than mechanical shears to avoid cutting through the large leaves, which can result in unsightly browning at the cut edges. The naturally upright habit of 'Novita' means less remedial tidying is needed between cuts compared to more spreading forms. Left to grow freely as a specimen shrub, it requires only occasional removal of dead, damaged, or crossing branches in late spring to keep the structure healthy and open.

Pests & Disease: Generally robust and trouble-free. Like other Cherry Laurels, 'Novita' may occasionally show signs of shot hole — a fungal condition that causes small holes in the foliage — but this is largely cosmetic and rarely causes serious harm to an otherwise healthy, well-established plant.