The cherry laurel is very popular. We give tips on what you should consider when buying and give you special sources for your cherry laurel.
The cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is in great demand as a hedge and solitary plant in German gardens because, despite its evergreen appearance, it is robust, easy to care for and extremely site-tolerant. But while this is true of the species as a whole, there are cultivars that are particularly well-suited to specific locations or uses. Therefore, when buying, you should not only be aware of what a he althy cherry laurel looks like, but also check in advance which cherry laurel variety suits you best. We'll help you choose a variety, give you tips on what to consider when buying a cherry laurel, and introduce you to some good sources.
Buy cherry laurel: You should pay attention to this
If you bring a new leafy protégé into your house or garden, you should first find out thoroughly about the requirements of the plant - not only to see which requirements the species has and whether you can meet them, but also because there is a cherry laurel variety that is particularly well suited to your preferences and the local conditions for almost every plant wish. In general, you should therefore find out about the following before you buy a cherry laurel.
Note: As a plant that is not native to us, the cherry laurel is unfortunately completely useless for the local wildlife. Neither insects nor birds show much interest in the shrub. For a natural and lively garden, we therefore recommend using insect-friendly shrubs. Here you will find a selection of flowering hedge plants.
The optical aspect when buying cherry laurel
The cherry laurel is mainly cultivated for its evergreen foliage. Therefore, it makes sense to find out more about the different leaf shapes and colors before you buy. This is also where the biggest visual differences between the individual varieties lie. The 'Etna' variety, for example, has reddish to bronze-colored leaves.
The hardiness of the cherry laurel variety
Although the most common cherry laurel varieties are all considered to be more or less frost hardy, there are still differences. In milder areas such as the Rhine Valley, these differences are usually not significant, but in areas with severe winters and strong winds, the right choice of variety can be decisive. The 'Herbergii' variety in particular is considered to be extremely frost hardy.
The conditions at the planting site
Cherry laurels are extremely adaptable when it comes to location. It doesn't matter whether it's sunny or shady - there is a suitable cherry laurel for all lighting conditions and pretty much any soil. A real problem for cherry laurels is waterlogging. What you should also consider when choosing a location is the final size of the plant. Narrow varieties like 'Caucasica' and 'Genolia' are better suited for small gardens than varieties like 'Novita' that grow more broadly and bushy. The question of how fast the cherry laurel grows should also be considered. Fast-growing varieties form opaque hedges more quickly, but they also have to be cut back more.
When to buy cherry laurel
In the case of root products, you must also pay attention to when you buy your cherry laurel. Plants should be planted in the ground as soon as possible after purchase. Therefore, buy them in autumn - this is when cherry laurels are planted. Container goods can be purchased all year round, provided the plants can be stored appropriately until planting time.
What does a he althy cherry laurel look like?
Only when you have thought about the points just mentioned and made a choice of variety should you proceed with the purchase. You should consider each plant individually and - if possible - also the conditions under which the plants were grown or stored. If you can answer the following questions with no, you are most likely to buy a vigorous plant that will quickly establish itself in your home garden:
- Are there wilted, yellow or brown leaves on the cherry laurel? (Cherry laurels are evergreen, so discolored leaves are usually a sign of a plant that is not fully he althy or poorly cared for.)
- Do you find pests or signs of disease on the plant? (coverings, holey leaves,deformation?)
- Are the plants too wet or too dry? (Improper watering takes a considerable time to delay plant symptoms. Even if the plant looks good when you buy it, it doesn't mean it stays that way.)
- Is the root ball only sparsely developed? (A weak root system will result in a longer growth time after planting and is a sign of less than optimal growing conditions.)
- Is the plant in full sun at the point of sale? (Especially young cherry laurels are prone to sunburn. These are not only unattractive to look at, but also stress the plant considerably.)
All these aspects speak for a not optimally grown plant. This does not necessarily mean that the plant will not grow into a magnificent cherry laurel in your home. However, especially with young plants, the environmental influences affecting them have a major impact on later growth and the susceptibility of the plant to diseases.
Buy cherry laurel: special sources of supply
Unfortunately, the purchase of a cherry laurel is not only dependent on a well thought-out purchase plan, the right plant must of course also be found. Although there are cherry laurels in most hardware stores, garden centers or tree nurseries in your region, if you don't have the desired selection of varieties nearby or want to have the plants delivered to your home quickly and easily, you can also use the Internet. From countless mail order companies in the horticultural sector, we would like to briefly introduce you to five sources for cherry laurels:
- Horstmann tree nursery: As a mail order business, the tree nursery offers an unbelievably wide range of garden plants, from ground cover to deciduous trees. There is also a solid selection of the most common cherry laurel varieties among the deciduous trees.
- Pflanzen Janssen: The family-run nursery offers a wide range of hedge plants and over 30 years of experience. Everyone will find the right cherry laurel variety here. You can have your plants delivered to your home or visit the 10,000 m² sales area in Kempen.
- NewGarden Nursery: This nursery supplies a variety of plants and accessories for home gardening. She offers a very good selection of cherry laurel varieties as hedge plants.
- BaumschuleDirekt: This provider is a master tree nursery with a large range of mail-order productson hedge plants, but also wild trees or ground cover. He also offers a good overview of the cherry laurel varieties on offer and their properties.
You can also read about what you need to consider when planting your cherry laurel here in our special article. It is best to use a high-quality, peat-free organic soil such as our Plantura organic universal soil.