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Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel)

Other names: Portuguese cherry laurel, Portuguese laurel

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Species
P. lusitanica is a dense, bushy, spreading, evergreen shrub or small tree with dark red shoots, ovate to elliptic, glossy, dark green leaves and, in early summer, racemes of small, cup-shaped, fragrant, white flowers followed by red fruit that ripen to black.
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Season of interest

Flower

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Flower

Foliage

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Foliage
Height and spread

Height and spread

Size Max height Max spread To maturity
15 m 12 m 20-50 years
49 ft 39 ft 20-50 years

Where to grow

Soil type
  • Chalky
  • Clay
  • Loamy
  • Sandy
Soil drainage
  • Moist but well-drained
  • Well-drained
Soil pH
  • Acid
  • Alkaline
  • Neutral
Sunlight
  • Partial Shade
  • Full Sun
Aspect
  • East
  • West
  • South
  • North
Exposure
  • Exposed
  • Sheltered

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Additional plant details

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Suitable for hedging. Easily tolerates poor, shallow, chalky soil.

Suggested uses

Cottage/Informal, Drought Tolerant, Hedging/Screens, Low Maintenance

UK hardiness

H5

USDA zones

Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9

Sunset zone

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = Moderate/Medium
Central Valley = Unknown
South Coastal = Moderate/Medium
South Inland = Inappropriate
High and Intermediate Desert = Inappropriate
Low Desert = Inappropriate

Foliage

Evergreen

Habit

Spreading

Native to

Southwestern Europe

Drought tolerant

Yes

Flood tolerant

No

Toxicity

Fruit may cause severe discomfort when ingested

Plant care

Pruning

Pruning group 8. Prune hedges in late spring or early summer.

Propagation methods

Softwood cuttings

Pests

Vine weevil

Leaf mining moths

Diseases

Powdery mildew

Silver leaf

Prune out unsightly shoots only (only when needed)

Take softwood cuttings

Plant in moist but well-drained soil (autumn or spring)

Plant trees and shrubs in moist but well-drained soil (autumn)

Plant in full sun or partial shade (autumn or spring)

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (313)

Prunus

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Prunus laurocerasus (any variety)
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Prunus laurocerasus (any variety) Cherry laurel (any variety)
Prunus avium (any variety)
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Prunus avium (any variety) Cherry (any variety)
Prunus domestica (any variety)
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Prunus domestica (any variety) Plum (any variety)
Prunus laurocerasus 'Marbled White'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Marbled White' Cherry laurel 'Marbled White'
Prunus persica var. nectarina 'Lord Napier'
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Prunus persica var. nectarina 'Lord Napier' Nectarine 'Lord Napier'
Prunus laurocerasus 'Caucasica'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Caucasica' Cherry laurel 'Caucasica'
Prunus avium 'Merton Glory'
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Prunus avium 'Merton Glory' Cherry 'Merton Glory'
Prunus cerasus 'Montmorency'
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Prunus cerasus 'Montmorency' Sour cherry 'Montmorency'
Prunus persica 'Red Top'
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Prunus persica 'Red Top' Peach 'Red Top'
Prunus 'Black Amber'
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Prunus 'Black Amber' Plum 'Black Amber'
Prunus armeniaca 'Bredase'
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Prunus armeniaca 'Bredase' Apricot 'Bredase'
Prunus domestica 'Laxton's Jubilee'
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Prunus domestica 'Laxton's Jubilee' Plum 'Laxton's Jubilee'
Prunus avium
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Prunus avium Wild cherry
Prunus avium 'Lapins'
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Prunus avium 'Lapins' Cherry 'Lapins'
Prunus avium 'Kordia'
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Prunus avium 'Kordia' Cherry 'Kordia'
Prunus avium 'Bigarreau Napoleon'
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Prunus avium 'Bigarreau Napoleon' Cherry 'Bigarreau Napoleon'
Prunus avium 'Stella'
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Prunus avium 'Stella' Cherry 'Stella'
Prunus avium 'Sweetheart'
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Prunus avium 'Sweetheart' Cherry 'Sweetheart'
Prunus cerasus 'Morello'
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Prunus cerasus 'Morello' Morello cherry
Prunus persica var. nectarina 'Garden Beauty'
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Prunus persica var. nectarina 'Garden Beauty' Nectarine 'Garden Beauty'
Prunus mume 'Beni-chidori'
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Prunus mume 'Beni-chidori' Japanese Apricot 'Beni-chidori'
Prunus persica var, nectarina 'Snow Queen'
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Prunus persica var, nectarina 'Snow Queen' Nectarine 'Snow Queen'
Prunus domestica 'President'
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Prunus domestica 'President' Plum 'President'
Prunus domestica 'Early Rivers'
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Prunus domestica 'Early Rivers' Plum 'Early Rivers'
Prunus 'Snow Showers'
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Prunus 'Snow Showers' Weeping cherry 'Snow Showers'
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Companion plants (33)

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Prunus laurocerasus 'Zsófi'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Zsófi' Cherry laurel 'Zsófi'
Prunus laurocerasus 'Elly'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Elly' Cherry laurel 'Elly'
Prunus laurocerasus 'Genolia'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Genolia' Cherry laurel 'Genolia'
Prunus japonica 'Thunbergii'
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Prunus japonica 'Thunbergii' Japanese bush cherry 'Thunbergii'
Prunus laurocerasus, pleached
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Prunus laurocerasus, pleached Pleached cherry laurel
Prunus laurocerasus (any variety)
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Prunus laurocerasus (any variety) Cherry laurel (any variety)
Prunus alabamensis
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Prunus alabamensis Alabama cherry
Prunus serotina
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Prunus serotina Black cherry
Prunus angustifolia
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Prunus angustifolia Chickasaw plum
Prunus himalaica
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Prunus himalaica Himalayan cherry
Prunus pensylvanica
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Prunus pensylvanica Pin cherry
Prunus tomentosa
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Prunus tomentosa Nanking cherry
Prunus americana
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Prunus americana American wild yellow plum
Prunus pumila var. depressa
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Prunus pumila var. depressa Eastern sand cherry
Prunus laurocerasus 'Greentorch'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Greentorch' Cherry laurel 'Greentorch'
Prunus laurocerasus 'Goris Gold'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Goris Gold' Cherry laurel 'Goris Gold'
Prunus mahaleb
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Prunus mahaleb St Lucie cherry
Prunus laurocerasus 'Mount Vernon'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Mount Vernon' Cherry laurel 'Mount Vernon'
Prunus laurocerasus 'Camelliifolia'
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Prunus laurocerasus 'Camelliifolia' Cherry laurel 'Camelliifolia'
Prunus pumila
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Prunus pumila Sand cherry
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Related content

Discuss Prunus lusitanica with other Shoot members

Re: Pruning Prunus lusitanica

Kathy N
1943 0
Hi, Karen,
Prunus lusitanica is in pruning group 1 which means it should be lightly pruned after flowering. Do you have it in your 'Plants I Have' list? If so, you will get detailed, monthly care instructions on what to do with it and when.
Kathy C
Posted: Monday 14th of February 2011 08:06 PM Last reply: Monday 14th of February 2011 08:06 PM

Pruning Prunus lusitanica

Shoot User
1943 1
Hi there, please can you give me advice on pruning this plant - I want it for the back of a border and whilst it has plenty of space at the moment, I would like to know if I can prune it at a later date to keep it shrubby and bushy to avoid it getting too tall once it has established.
Any tips gratefully received
Many thanks
Posted: Monday 14th of February 2011 02:33 PM Last reply: Saturday 1st of March 2025 02:41 AM

Prunus lusitanica

Shoot User
930 0
This is often used as a hedging plant and is more tolerant of chalk than other Prunus species. It is often dense enough to be used as a nesting site by birds like the song thrush and its flowers offer nectar and pollen to bees.
Posted: Tuesday 16th of June 2009 04:52 PM Last reply: Saturday 1st of March 2025 01:32 AM
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