Otto Luyken English Laurel

Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’

Other Names: Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 3-4′

Width at Maturity: 6-8′

Spacing: 4-5′ for solid hedges or privacy screens; 12’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Dense

Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Small, packed on spikes (candles)

Flowering Period: Spring

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes!

Foliage Color: Very Deep Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes, somewhat inconspicuous

Berry Color: Black

Sun Needs: Full Sun, Full Shade, Morning Sun With Afternoon Shade, Filtered Sun, Morning Shade With Afternoon Sun, Prefers Afternoon Shade in Zone 8

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well-drained

Soil pH: 4.5 – 7.5 (Very Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low to Average

Attracts: Birds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Drought (moderate when established), Shade

Description

The Otto Luyken English Laurel, sometimes referred to as Cherry Laurel, is admired for its polished look and highly fragrant flowers in spring. It is a compact cultivar that grows in a somewhat spreading but upright wide vase shape to 3 to 4 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. Over time it can grow taller and wider than that but most folks give it a trimming every year after the spring bloom to control the size. It sports handsome, elongated and pointed very deep green lustrous leaves that give it that year-round “polished” look which provides unique form and texture in home foundation plantings and landscape borders. Excellent as an accent, in groupings, or as a natural or clipped formal hedge, though we’re not big fans for shearing it. In spring, abundant bottlebrush-like spikes of fragrant white flowers stand out beautifully against the dark foliage. If you’re looking to add an elegant evergreen flowering plant to your home foundation planting or landscape borders the Otto Luyken Laurel is certainly a fine choice.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 3 to 4 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide, the Otto Luyken Laurel is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings or as a natural or formal hedge in sunny or shady home foundation plantings and landscape borders. A fine addition to fragrance gardens and white gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 4 to 5 feet apart for solid hedges; 12 feet apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

The Otto Luyken Laurel is easy to grow in most any moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter and full sun to part shade, even full shade. Well-drained soil is essential. As with so many other ornamental shrubs, constantly soggy or wet soil can cause problems with the roots. In Southeast USDA Zone 8 plants will perform and look their best when provided some shade or filtered sun during the hot, mid-afternoon hours. Here in USDA Zone 8a of Georgia we’ve had success growing them in almost full shade. In the cooler climates of USDA Zones 6 and 7 plants will tolerate full sun to almost full shade.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Laurel shrubs

How To Plant And Care For English Cherry Laurels

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