The Portuguese Laurel – Low-maintenance Beauty from the Mediterranean

If you want to bring Mediterranean flair into your garden, the Portuguese Laurel is absolutely the right choice. This hedge plant brings the Mediterranean to your garden!

But the Portuguese Laurel is not just good-looking; this exotic hedge plant can do much more than just provide privacy and wind protection.

Cherry laurel is well-known. There are hardly any gardens where this popular hedge plant doesn’t grow. No wonder, as cherry laurel gradually develops into a striking and dense hedge. But the well-known cherry laurel has a very beautiful and low-maintenance brother: the Portuguese cherry laurel. And it’s unmistakable: with its small and delicate leaves, the Portuguese cherry laurel steps out of the shadow of its sibling and impresses with its resemblance to the classic bay laurel. So, for those who find the regular bay laurel too demanding, the Portuguese cherry laurel offers a low-maintenance alternative.

The Portuguese cherry laurel originates from the Azores and the Canary Islands. In its native habitat, the plant can reach a height of up to 20 meters. Unfortunately, the Portuguese cherry laurel is now very rare in its wild form. In our regions, the Portuguese cherry laurel can grow up to two meters tall and up to two meters wide. It grows upright and highly branched, forming a dense hedge over the years that serves not only as a privacy screen but also provides excellent sound insulation.

Beautiful and attractive plants in the garden are often also demanding and high-maintenance. Of course, we gladly accept this for the results, but a plant that is both low-maintenance AND beautiful is a welcome change. That’s exactly what the Portuguese cherry laurel is: beautiful and easy to care for. Although the popular hedge plant comes from the Mediterranean, it is extremely robust and frost-resistant. It handles pruning well, and its location doesn’t require any special conditions. Due to its Mediterranean origin, the plant can withstand longer dry periods in the garden. A true master of adaptation!