The types of laurel trees you could plant in your garden are quite many, and they can help you take it to the next level.
Learn about their beauty and distinct qualities and how to incorporate them into your dream landscape.
Improve the natural beauty of your outdoor space and experience the joy of gardening like never before! Read on to see more amazing tips!
Contents
6 Distinct Laurel Tree Types You Can Plant This Year
1. Cherry Laurel
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The cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), also called the English laurel tree, is a small tree or shrub with evergreen leaves, and it belongs to the family Rosaceae. It comes from Iran, Turkey, and the Caucasus region. The tree is grown a lot because it looks nice and can be used as a hedge in gardens and landscapes.
The laurel can grow between 20 and 30 feet tall and has a round, dense shape. It has small but many fragrant white flowers in the spring, and in the summer, it has black cherries. The tree has dark green, shiny, and leathery leaves that add to its beauty all year.
It prefers damp places with a lot of shade, but this plant grows well in full sun, which makes it a good choice for gardens and other outdoor spaces. The tree is also resistant to most diseases and pests, so laurel hedge problems aren’t common, which makes it a good choice for newbie green thumbs who don’t want to spend much time taking care of their plants.
There’s also one variety that’s named after the director of a reputable German nursery, Otto Luyken. If you’re looking for this cultivar or another English laurel, Home Depot is one place where you might find it. It’s essential to be mindful that the leaves and seeds of the plant are poisonous if ingested by humans and animals.
2. Bay Laurel
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The bay laurel (sweet bay), or Laurus nobilis, is a plant that grows in the Mediterranean area. It is an evergreen plant with shiny, fragrant leaves often used as a seasoning, especially in Mediterranean food.
The leaves have a strong, pungent taste, and they can be used fresh or dried in soups, stews, and sauces, among other things. The tree can grow up to 50 feet tall and is valued for its decorative look and ability to be used in cooking.
The bay tree is also well-known for its healing properties. For hundreds of years, it has been utilized in traditional medicine to treat digestive problems, headaches, and skin problems. Compounds in the plant, like eucalyptol, cineole, and alpha-terpineol, are thought to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.
The bay laurel has been a useful plant used for a long time in cooking, medicine, and as an ornamental plant. It has a strong, spicy taste, looks nice, and might be good for your health. This makes it a great addition to any garden or kitchen.
3. Mountain Laurel
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This is a flowering evergreen shrub called Kalmia latifolia. It is indigenous to the eastern US. It is known for the large clusters of pink, rose, or white flowers that bloom in the spring.
The laurel’s dark green, shiny leaves are a good food source for many animals, such as deer and rabbits. The shrub grows best in soils that drain well and have some shade, and it can grow up to 30 feet tall.
This laurel is often used as an ornamental plant in landscaping and to make medicines, such as anti-inflammatory agents. The whole plant is poisonous if eaten, so it should be handled carefully.
Mountain trees are beautiful and versatile as they can add a lot of color to a garden and they’re great additions to any landscape. It has lovely laurel flowers and lush leaves and doesn’t need much care like other laurel types, such as Aucuba japonica. This makes the laurel a great choice for gardeners who want a shrub that looks good all year.
4. Portuguese Laurel
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Also called the Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica), this is a small tree or evergreen shrub native to the Iberian Peninsula and western Morocco. It is also called the cherry laurel hedge bay or the Portuguese cherry laurel.
The Portugal plant is characterized by its glossy, dark green foliage and sprays of tiny white blooms that appear in the spring. In time, these flowers give way to clusters of blackberries. Because it can grow in many different soil types, the Portugal plant is often an ornamental plant. The plant looks good on its own or as a border and is usually found in parks and large gardens.
These laurel plants are easy to grow, don’t need much compared to laurels such as Umbellularia californica, and are often used in landscaping. In short, this laurel is a beautiful and valuable plant that can be used in many gardening and landscaping projects.
5. Carolina Cherry Laurel
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The Prunus caroliniana, commonly referred to as the Carolina cherry, is an evergreen shrub or tree indigenous to the southeastern region of the United States. It is often found in coastal plains, swamp forests, and along streams. The Carolina laurel can grow 20–30 feet tall and 10–15 feet wide. It has a dense, pyramidal shape making it perfect for a privacy barrier, screen, or hedge.
The leaves of the Carolina cherry laurel are oval, with a glossy, dark green appearance that provides a beautiful contrast against other plants. They are leathery and about 2-4 inches long. The tree has small, white, fragrant flowers that bloom from the end of winter to the beginning of spring, giving a nice show of color in the spring.
The flowers are followed by small, black cherries that poison people and animals. This is important to remember when planting near children or pets.
The Carolina laurel can be used in landscaping as a focal point, a mass plant, or a single tree. Due to how it grows, it is often used to make a privacy screen or hedge. The tree is usually trimmed to keep its size and shape and can also be sheared to make it look neat.
6. Schip Laurel
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Schip Laurel is a plant native to Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia. Its scientific name is Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis,’. It can grow into a bush or a small tree, and its leaves stay on all year. It is known for having a lot of green leaves and growing quickly, which makes it a popular choice for landscaping and gardening.
The Schip (or skip cherry) laurel is often used as a common laurel hedge or screen plant because it grows densely and can provide shelter and privacy. This laurel can grow up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet broad, although it is frequently pruned to maintain the desired size and shape. The plant’s leaves are shiny and dark green, and they feel like leather and have a slightly jagged edge. They grow up to 8 inches long and are arranged in a spiral on the branches.
It grows clusters of white or pale pink flowers in the spring. These flowers have a strong scent and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. After the flowers, there are small, black fruits that people don’t usually eat but that birds might.
This is a laurel that grows well in many conditions and requires little care. It can grow in both full sun exposure, or partial shade, but it does best in well-drained soil with a medium amount of water. It is also pretty resistant to pests and diseases, which makes it a good choice for landscaping and gardening in urban areas. You can grow it in an adequate skip cherry laurel container with little effort.
Conclusion
Choosing suitable laurels can significantly enhance the beauty of your landscape, so it’s essential to know how to identify a laurel tree.
The six species discussed in this article offer unique benefits, making them great choices for any garden or outdoor space.
- Laurels are famous for gardens and landscapes due to their attractive foliage, fragrant flowers, and versatile uses.
- Informed decisions on these trees can bring beauty and benefits, but some species are poisonous if ingested.
- The bay laurel or sweet bay is an aromatic plant that is commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine but also in other parts of the world.
- Popular varieties of trees include the cherry laurel, mountain laurel, and Portugal laurel. These can be used as ornamental shrubs or trees or in hedges.
Whether you want a beautiful privacy screen, a striking focal point, or a lush green backdrop, a laurel is perfect for your needs. With their versatility, durability, and stunning appearance, laurels will surely bring a touch of magic to your space for years to come.
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