Prunus lus. Angustifolia Readybag

Prunus lus. Angustifolia

Prunus lus. Angustifolia or Portugal Laurel is a small leaved evergreen shrub. The leaves are smaller than the straight Prunus lusitanica and are a polished dark green colour.  These attractive leaves are held on a reddish stem which does fade in colour as the plant becomes older. If left un-trimmed it can produce a white candle like flower in the late spring which is then followed by small black berries. If the plant is trimmed regularly it will not flower or set fruit as they will be trimmed off.  It is happy being grown on shallow chalk soils and is a good replacement for the Cherry Laurel in these situations.

Prunus lus Angustifolia instant hedge makes a great substitute for Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis) looking very similar but being a lot more cold resistant.  Prunus lus. Angustifolia is sometimes called Prunus lus. Myrtifolia or Pyramidalis.  They were first recorded as being grown in this country in 1892.

When clipped regularly Portugal Laurel (Prunus lus. Angustifolia) instant hedge can produce a very tight dense hedge which is as good as English Yew (Taxus baccata). It can also be clipped up into Balls and Lollipops to add interest to the hedge.

If allowed to grow un-trimmed they will naturally form a dense cone up to about 5 metres in height.