Subject: Cherry Laurel

From: [email-masked] (Pat Vedomske)
Date: 31 Mar 1995 14:42:19 GMT

Does anyone have any experience using Cherry Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus) 
as a screen?  I live in southeastern Virginia (zone 7) and would like a 
screen between my house and my neighbor's.  My lot is partially wooded 
and very rural, except for the one neighbor.  I really want to use native 
plants and keep the "woodsy" feel.  I also prefer low maintenance plants. 
I know that Cherry Laurel grows quickly and can become quite large.  Any 
suggestions?

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From: [email-masked] (Roger Duvall)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 17:12:04 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Pat Vedomske) writes:
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>From: [email-masked] (Pat Vedomske)
>Newsgroups: rec.gardens
>Subject: Cherry Laurel
>Date: 31 Mar 1995 14:42:19 GMT
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>I know that Cherry Laurel grows quickly and can become quite large.  Any 

In Atlanta, Cherry Laurel is an excellent screen.  It reseeds altogether too 
freely.  I dug up seedlings from a mature tree and planted a hedge about six 
years ago and most of it is 15 feet tall now.  Five or six feet apart is about 
right.  They make a lot of berries and attract flocks of robins and, if you're 
lucky, cedar waxwings.  (This has its downside if your car is under the tree.)

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From: [email-masked] (Lynda Miller)
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 08:36:24 CST

>years ago and most of it is 15 feet tall now.

I have cherry laurels making a screen against my back fence.  Can I ask what 
you mean by digging up seedlings from the tree?  My neighbors would be 
interested in propagating a new screen on their side.

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From: [email-masked] (Arthur W. Kelley)
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 1995 16:11:35 -0400

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]

> I know that Cherry Laurel grows quickly and can become quite large.  Any 

Pat-

I'm using a cultivar of _carolina_ cherry laurel - Prunus carolinianus(a?)
'Monus' which is, as I recall, sold as "Bright and Tight Cherry Laurel".
It's a patented plant under that name. Mine grew from about 1.5 to 6 feet
in about 3 years. They are planted to sceen a street view on my corner
lot. In this location they get hot sun all day long in summer including
the heat reflected off the street. In the winter they get the cold wind. I
never water or fertilize them and they stay bright glossy green all year.
I'm not sure if they're native but with a name like carolinianus you'd
think they would be. I'm not sure, but I suspect this is a sterile
cultivar because they flower and fruit but I've not seen the first
seedling. I have to go out every 3 yrs or so and prune them. Instead of
shearing them I just take out the taller branches and except for the
reduction in size you'd never tell they were worked on. This particular
cultivar stays bushy anyway so they don't turn into trees like the
species. The do need direct sunlight for best growth. Some of mine are
shaded by a pine tree and don't grow as fast as the ones in full sun which
makes my hedge a little lopsided. That being said they still grow densely
and don't get that thinned out look. All in all I'm very happy with this
plant.

I'm in Raleigh, NC and also in zone 7 so they should work for you. My
mother has one in Norfolk, VA and hers performs well. I'll be in Norfolk
for Easter so if you want I'll ask where she got hers and maybe that would
be a convenient source for you too. E-mail me if interested.

-- 
-Arthur W. Kelley
 North Carolina State University
 [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Chad James Segura)
Date: 13 Apr 1995 16:32:49 GMT

Mbwa Baka ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Has anyone grown cherry laurel in Zone 9?  I live in Houston, Texas and am
: interested in hedge plants.  My location would have full sun, southern
: exposure, good drainage.  Thanks in advance!  Amy

Well, there are thousands of cherry laurel in Houston.  They were blooming
a few weeks ago.  They are generally understory trees, but bloom and 
fruit (poisonous to humans) better in the sun.  They are easy to grow, but
I've heard that when grown en masse they are susceptible to some kind of
blight.  Check out Anderson's Nursery on Pech and TreeSearch Farms.

Chad

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From: [email-masked] (Mbwa Baka)
Date: 12 Apr 1995 16:50:17 -0400

Has anyone grown cherry laurel in Zone 9?  I live in Houston, Texas and am
interested in hedge plants.  My location would have full sun, southern
exposure, good drainage.  Thanks in advance!  Amy

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From: [email-masked] (Mbwa Baka)
Date: 13 Apr 1995 16:24:13 -0400

Thanks Chad for the tips on cherry laurel - I will check out TreeSearch,
since I have heard they are good.  Amy