Beautiful Evergreen Laurel Bushes For Year-Round Appeal
Laurel bushes, especially the beloved Cherry Laurel, have been a time-tested landscaping favorite since the Middle Ages. Early American settlers used them to define property lines, and today, modern gardeners adore their year-round glossy foliage, versatility, and fragrant flowers. Whether you need a lush privacy screen or want to attract pollinators, Cherry Laurel brings timeless charm with modern durability.
These broadleaf evergreen shrubs are known for their dense green foliage, ability to bloom even in partial shade, and rugged nature. Tough, low-maintenance, and full of benefits for wildlife, Laurels are ideal for USDA growing zones 5 through 10. Plus, many varieties are native to North America or specially bred to thrive in a wide range of landscapes.
- Stunning Cherry Laurel Bushes At Nature Hills
- Top Cherry Laurel Shrub Varieties At Nature Hills!
- Other Types of Laurel Bushes
- Caring For Your Cherry Laurel Shrubs
- Are Cherry Laurel Bushes Good For Wildlife?
- Leaf It To Laurel … A Shrub That Does It All!
Stunning Cherry Laurel Bushes At Nature Hills
There are about 80 known varieties of Laurel bushes. These resilient shrubs produce clusters of creamy white or pink blooms in late spring through summer. The glossy, dark green leaves provide a striking contrast to the bright flowers, adding rich texture to your garden year-round. Plus, many Laurel varieties are sweetly scented, creating a sensory delight that draws in bees, butterflies, and admiring glances alike!
These tough-as-nails plants tolerate:
- Alkaline and poor soils
- Pollution and urban conditions
- Drought once established
- Heavy pruning
- Deer resistance
Laurels thrive in full sun to part shade and make an excellent hedge, screen, or specimen shrub. Not to be confused with Mountain Laurel (Kalmia), Cherry Laurels (Prunus laurocerasus) are cousins to fruiting trees like Cherries and Plums and even produce small, dark, cherry-like fruits in fall. While edible, these are very astringent for us to eat, but birds adore feasting on them!
Top Cherry Laurel Shrub Varieties At Nature Hills!
Looking for the right Laurel for your space? Here's a polished lineup of customer favorites with details to help you decide!
Chestnut Hill Cherry Laurel
A compact, rounded evergreen with dense, glossy foliage and creamy white flower panicles in spring. Handles city conditions, dappled shade, and compact spaces with grace.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 4 feet tall and wide
- Best Use: Low hedge or foundation planting
- Standout Feature: Compact, tidy form for small landscapes
Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel
Low-growing and wide-spreading, this Laurel forms a polished evergreen carpet with upright white flower spikes in spring. Great for slopes, mass plantings, or woodland edges.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 3–4 feet tall, 6–8 feet wide
- Best Use: Groundcover or low hedge
- Standout Feature: Neat habit and reliable shade tolerance
Compact Carolina Cherry Laurel
A formal-looking upright evergreen with dense, shiny foliage. Fragrant white flowers bloom in spring, and its strong vertical habit makes it an excellent privacy solution.
- Zones: 7–10
- Size: 8–10 feet tall, 6–8 feet wide
- Best Use: Privacy screen or clipped hedge
- Standout Feature: Dense, glossy foliage and fast growth
Zimmerman Cherry Laurel
Petite and tidy, this dwarf cultivar is perfect for small gardens and container culture. Hardy and compact, with classic Laurel foliage and spring blooms.
- Zones: 5–9
- Size: 2–3 feet tall, 3–4 feet wide
- Best Use: Foundation plantings or low borders
- Standout Feature: Zone 5 cold-hardy and container-friendly
Cherry Laurel
The largest of the Laurels, this shrub creates dense privacy with glossy leaves and fragrant white spring blooms. Birds enjoy the small fall fruit, and it thrives in various soils.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 10–12 feet tall and wide
- Best Use: Tall screen or living fence
- Standout Feature: Big, bold presence with full coverage
Portuguese Cherry Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)
An elegant, upright shrub or small tree with narrow evergreen leaves and reddish-purple stems. Fragrant white flower clusters appear in early summer. Very adaptable and ornamental.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 10–15 feet tall, 6–10 feet wide
- Best Use: Formal hedge or specimen shrub
- Standout Feature: Burgundy stems and polished, narrow foliage
Schipka Cherry Laurel (also called Skip Laurel)
A columnar hybrid ideal for narrow hedging spaces. Deep green leaves, fragrant spring flowers, and exceptional cold-hardiness make it a go-to for privacy without bulk.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 6–10 feet tall, 3–5 feet wide
- Best Use: Narrow screen or side-yard hedge
- Standout Feature: Cold-hardy and shade-tolerant
Mount Vernon Cherry Laurel
A refined, prostrate-growing Cherry Laurel with a naturally spreading, ground-hugging habit. Its broad, shiny leaves form a dense mat, and delicate white flower spikes appear in mid-spring. This variety is excellent for use as a glossy evergreen groundcover in shaded beds, woodland edges, or under taller shrubs and trees. It tolerates drought, poor soil, and pruning, and provides erosion control on slopes or banks.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 1–2 feet tall, 4–6 feet wide
- Best Use: Evergreen groundcover or slope stabilizer
- Standout Feature: Low-growing, glossy mat-forming habit perfect for shade
Other Types of Laurel Bushes
While Cherry Laurels steal much of the spotlight, Nature Hills also offers other magnificent Laurel species that deserve a place in your garden. These unique Laurels vary in size, shape, and use, but all share beautiful foliage, seasonal interest, and practical charm. Here's a quick look at some other standout Laurel varieties in our collection:
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Not a Cherry Laurel, but just as beloved! Native to the eastern United States, Mountain Laurel is prized for its showy clusters of star-shaped flowers in late spring and early summer. The evergreen leaves are leathery and dark green, giving structure and beauty all year. The Olympic Fire Mountain Laurel is a gorgeous pink form.
- Zones: 4–9
- Size: 5–15 feet tall and wide, depending on cultivar
- Best Use: Foundation planting, woodland garden accent
- Standout Feature: Unique geometric blooms in pink, white, or red
- Special Notes: Toxic if ingested by humans or animals; not related to Prunus
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Also known as Sweet Bay, this Mediterranean native is the famed culinary Laurel! Its glossy, aromatic leaves are used to flavor soups, sauces, and stews. Though often grown in containers or brought indoors in colder climates, it can thrive as a landscape shrub in warmer zones!
- Zones: 8–10 (cold-hardy in pots for 6–7)
- Size: 6–12 feet tall and wide, prunable
- Best Use: Edible garden or container plant
- Standout Feature: Aromatic culinary leaves used in cooking for centuries
- Special Notes: Can be shaped into topiary or trained as a patio tree
Dwarf English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Nana')
A compact version of the classic English Laurel, this shrub stays much smaller while still packing a glossy, dense evergreen punch. It produces fragrant white flower spikes in spring and tolerates shade, pruning, and poor soil. A fantastic fit for urban gardens or low-growing hedges.
- Zones: 6–9
- Size: 3–4 feet tall and wide
- Best Use: Low hedge, small-space privacy, or foundation beds
- Standout Feature: Tidy form with year-round foliage and sweet flowers
Caring For Your Cherry Laurel Shrubs
Cherry Laurel makes a gorgeous backdrop or specimen shrub in naturalistic settings or formal gardens. Their dense habit creates instant structure in the garden. These shrubs are beloved for:
- Privacy and noise reduction: Thick foliage makes a natural sound buffer, privacy hedge, and windbreak.
- Wildlife habitat: Birds nest in the protective evergreen canopy and eat the fruit.
- Visual interest: Year-round green foliage and sweet spring blooms offer multi-season appeal while bringing in the butterflies!
- Versatility: Plant as property division hedges, foundation plantings, or as understory shrubs in dappled sunlight.
Perfect for urban gardeners, woodland landscapes, and everything in between, Laurels adapt beautifully to most settings.
Caring For Your Cherry Laurel Shrubs
To get your Laurel bushes growing strong, follow these easy planting and care tips:
- Choose a site with well-drained soil. If your yard has poor drainage, build raised beds or berms to keep your Laurel's roots out of the soggy soil.
- In hot climates, give Laurels some afternoon shade. In cool climates, more sun helps increase the number of blooms.
- Water regularly during the first year. Use the Finger Test to check soil moisture.
- Once established, reduce watering as Laurels are drought-tolerant.
- Use arborist mulch to keep roots cool and conserve moisture.
- Deadhead old flowers for a neater appearance, though not necessary for health. It's best to do this immediately after the flowers fade.
- Most Laurels can handle rejuvenation pruning or shaping to suit your landscape design.
Want to shop smarter? Use our Planting Zone filter and then refine by sun, height, and spread when browsing Laurel shrubs at Nature Hills.
Get your new Cherry Laurel Bushes off on the right foot with these simple tips, planting advice in our #ProPlantTips, and with Nature Hills Root Booster!
Are Cherry Laurel Bushes Good For Wildlife?
Absolutely! Cherry Laurels are beneficial additions to edible landscapes and wildlife-friendly yards.
- Winter Shelter: The broadleaf evergreen foliage provides critical protection and cover during cold months.
- Nesting Sites: Blackbirds and Thrushes prefer dense branching to build their nests.
- Food Source: While their berries are edible, they aren't palatable to humans, but they are a favorite for many birds.
- Pollinator Attraction: The flowers are nectar-rich and bloom even in shadier areas, offering early food for pollinators.
Leaf It To Laurel … A Shrub That Does It All!
Whether you're building a leafy screen, designing a shady retreat, or welcoming pollinators and birds, Cherry Laurel bushes are a time-tested, easy-care choice for gardeners in a wide range of zones. With lush year-round foliage, fragrant blooms, and hardworking durability, these shrubs bring more than just good looks to your landscape.
Happy Planting!
