The cherry laurel – also known as Prunus laurocerasus in botanical jargon – is a popular plant for the garden. It is often used both as a solitary plant and as an opaque hedge. But in order to achieve the desired result, a number of factors must be taken into account when planting the laurel cherry. This also includes the planting distance or neighbor distance between the cherry laurel plants.
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sorts
Both in solitary planting and in hedges, the planting distance depends primarily on the cherry laurel variety chosen. Cherry laurel is generally fast-growing and can grow up to 50 centimeters in width and height per year. How the maximum dimensions turn out and whether it is a narrow or wide growing variant decides how large the neighbor distance should be.
When making your selection, you should therefore pay attention to the maximum dimensions of the respective variety that can be expected. For example, the cherry laurel Genolia or Prunus laurocerasus Genolia remains very narrow. The Piri variety, on the other hand, grows up to 1.2 meters wide, but remains comparatively short.
Very wide and tall varieties are ideal as solitary plants. Low variants, on the other hand, are better suited for pot culture. Narrow-width cultivars can be suitable for narrow hedges that keep unwanted eyes away. In any case, it is important that the gauge blocks are known. Even if the laurel cherry can be pruned without any problems and thus kept in shape, the planting distance must be made dependent on this.
Hecke
When designing hedges, the planting distance depends on three factors:
- target height
- required width
- desired viewing and growth density
The height and width determine which variety should be chosen. A pruning can be used to control the maximum dimensions of the plants. However, there are some variants on the market that are only about one meter high and grow very slender. Of course, a larger number of plants must be planted per linear meter than with wide-growing forms.
With narrow variants, three plants per meter should be used to achieve opacity quickly. A planting distance of about 30 to 50 centimeters between the cherry laurel and other plants is therefore advisable. In the case of broader cherry laurels, such as the “Etna” variety, a greater distance from neighbors must also be maintained in the hedge. It should be 80 to 100 centimeters in order to quickly obtain an opaque result, but still give the plants enough space.
solitaire
With a solitary planting of the cherry laurel, maintaining the correct distance is much easier than with a hedge. There should still be enough space between the plant and other plants, fences, walls and other objects.
A simple way of orientation is the growth direction of the branches. If these grow steeply upwards in the laurel cherry, the plant remains comparatively narrow. A distance of 50 centimeters is usually sufficient. On the other hand, if the branches grow horizontally – i.e. laterally outwards – you have to reckon with expansive dimensions.
maintenance
With the neighboring distance of the cherry laurel, care should also be taken to ensure that there is sufficient space for care. Although Prunus laurocerasus is very easy to care for and undemanding, a trimming, for example, may be necessary. So that this can be done without any problems, there must be enough space around the plant.
In the case of narrow hedges, a distance of 30 to 50 centimeters from the nearest objects is usually sufficient. In the case of solitary, wider and taller plants, a minimum distance of 50, but preferably 100 centimetres, should be maintained.
