Prunus laurocerasus and Prunus lusitanica, commonly known as Cherry and Portuguese Laurel respectively, are fast-growing evergreen shrubs prized for creating dense hedges and screens. Their glossy, dark green foliage provides year-round privacy and structure. Because of their vigorous growth rate, annual trimming is necessary to maintain a tidy shape and encourage the thick, lateral branching that makes them effective barriers. Pruning stimulates the plant’s natural growth response, helping to revitalize older wood and ensure the shrub remains healthy and dense over many years.
Selecting the Optimal Time and Tools
The timing of your cuts depends on the goal of the pruning, whether it is light maintenance or hard renovation. For routine, annual shaping, the best time is late spring or early summer, immediately after the plant has finished flowering. Pruning then minimizes the removal of next year’s flower buds and allows new growth to quickly conceal the cuts before winter.
For drastic size reduction or rejuvenation pruning, wait until late winter or early spring before new growth begins. This timing allows the plant to use stored energy to rapidly produce new shoots once the weather warms. Using the right tool is important, as laurels have broad leaves that look unsightly if mangled.
Bypass hand pruners, or secateurs, should be used for selective cuts, ensuring each cut is clean and avoids slicing through a leaf. Loppers and a pruning saw are needed for branches thicker than a half-inch, especially during severe cutbacks. While hedge trimmers can be used for formal hedges, they inevitably slice the leaves, causing damaged edges to brown and detracting from the appearance. Always use clean, sharp tools to prevent crushing stems and ensure quick-healing cuts that minimize entry points for pests or disease.
Pruning for General Maintenance and Shaping
Routine maintenance pruning focuses on controlling the height and width of the laurel to maintain a dense, uniform shape. The general rule is to remove no more than one-third of the plant’s overall growth in a single season. This light trimming encourages the development of side shoots, resulting in the desired thick, compact foliage.
For the cleanest aesthetic, especially on a formal hedge, employ selective pruning with hand pruners. This technique involves tracing the unwanted shoot back to a main branch or a healthy, outward-facing leaf node, and making the cut just above that junction. Cutting back to a node directs the plant’s energy toward new growth in a specific direction, promoting outward density and preventing bare pockets.
During this process, remove any dead, diseased, or damaged wood, cutting it back to healthy tissue or the main trunk. Also eliminate any branches that are crossing or rubbing against one another, as this friction can damage the bark and create entry points for pathogens. Maintaining a slight taper, where the base of the hedge is slightly wider than the top, is beneficial as it ensures sunlight reaches the lower foliage, preventing the bottom from becoming sparse.
Severe Pruning for Size Reduction
When a laurel hedge has become excessively large, overgrown, or sparse in the lower sections, rejuvenation or hard pruning is necessary. Laurel is resilient and tolerates being cut back severely, often right into the older, leafless hardwood. This measure is best performed in late winter or very early spring while the plant is dormant, which minimizes sap loss and prepares the shrub for recovery growth.
The process involves cutting major, overgrown branches back significantly, sometimes reducing the height and width by 50% or more. If the hedge is massive, execute this cutback in two stages over two successive years, pruning one side hard one year and the other side the next to minimize visual impact and stress. Cuts should be made with a pruning saw or loppers, angling the cut away from any viable bud or node you wish to encourage.
Immediately after the cut, the laurel will look stark and bare, resembling woody stumps. This is normal, as the plant must force dormant buds along the old wood to activate and produce new shoots. Within a few months, new growth will emerge, and with consistent watering and care, the hedge will begin to fill in, achieving a more manageable and denser form over the next one to two growing seasons.
Post-Pruning Care and Troubleshooting
Following any pruning session, especially a severe cutback, the laurel requires thoughtful aftercare to support recovery and promote new growth. The immediate focus should be on consistent hydration, as the plant needs sufficient moisture to fuel the rapid production of new leaves and shoots. Water the base deeply, ensuring the root zone is saturated, and maintain a moist soil profile, particularly during dry periods.
While laurels are generally not heavy feeders, a light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in the spring after a hard prune can help support the energy demands of the new growth. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can promote weak, rapid growth and potentially cause fertilizer burn. Applying a layer of organic mulch around the base helps to conserve soil moisture and regulate temperature.
A common issue following a trim with hedge shears is the appearance of brown leaf edges, which is simply the damaged tissue desiccating and dying back. This cosmetic damage is temporary and should not cause alarm; the new flush of growth will quickly cover the blemishes. After any cut, monitor the wounds for signs of fungal infection or pests. Ensure good air circulation within the hedge by removing internal debris to maintain the plant’s health.