What is killing my Cherry Laurel?
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is generally considered a tough evergreen but its leaves can be affected by diseases such as powdery mildew, leaf spot fungi and bacterial shothole. Affected plants or hedges look unsightly. By The RHS Advice Team. Nov, 2025. Laurel can be planted not only as a hedge in the garden, it is also well suited for growing in a pot. Potted laurel plants are well suited for winter months when it is not advisable to actually plant them outside. If you have the laurel in a pot, you can place it in a variety of places.There are multiple factors that affect the rate at which your laurel hedge will grow, the main one being the variety of Laurel hedge plant you choose. Laurel hedges vary in growth, and depending on the species, they have the ability to grow between 15-60cm per year.To prune laurel to encourage growth, we’d recommend trimming the branches and cutting them back several times a year (depending on how fast it grows) by up to a quarter. This makes the bush come back bushier and thicker than before more rapidly.It grows in full sun to deep shade. Cherry laurel is accepting of most soil types and textures but grows best in rich soil high in organic matter. This plant blooms in the spring with heavily fragrant flowers that bloom even in heavy shade.
How to save a dying Cherry Laurel?
Watering Issues: Both overwatering and underwatering can cause Cherry Laurel’s yellow leaves. The key is to ensure the soil is well-draining and the plants are watered from the base when the soil is dry to the touch. Nutrient Deficiency: A lack of essential nutrients, especially nitrogen, can lead to yellowing leaves. Waterlogged soil — When the soil is too wet or waterlogged around your Laurel plants, it can cause the roots to suffocate, which may result in yellowing leaves.Watering Issues: Both overwatering and underwatering can cause Cherry Laurel’s yellow leaves. The key is to ensure the soil is well-draining and the plants are watered from the base when the soil is dry to the touch. Nutrient Deficiency: A lack of essential nutrients, especially nitrogen, can lead to yellowing leaves.Leaves may turn yellow, brown, and fall off as branch tips die back. Cherry laurel does not tolerate compacted clay soil that drains poorly. In those conditions, excess soil moisture reduces oxygen levels. This can stress or kill roots, resulting in a reduced root system that is unable to function well.Cherry Laurel has a slightly spreading habit, tending to fill the surrounding space of its planting site and providing a gorgeous, bushy hedge that can be pruned into a smaller form if required. This is a common attribute for Laurel hedging in general.
Why are my Cherry Laurel leaves turning brown?
However, this rich green foliage shows only when the cherry laurel is healthy and comfortable. If the plant suffers from a disease, is stressed or undernourished, it will directly affect the evergreen sea of foliage. The leaves then turn yellow or brown. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is generally considered a tough evergreen but its leaves can be affected by diseases such as powdery mildew, leaf spot fungi and bacterial shothole. Affected plants or hedges look unsightly.Yes. For landscape areas where cherry laurel was planted, prevent it from producing berries. Remove unwanted cherry laurel plants before they become a bigger problem.Prunus laurocerasus commonly called cherry laurel or English laurel is a broad, dense, spreading, evergreen shrub that in cultivation typically matures over time to 10-18′ tall with a spread to 20-25′.
Do cherry laurels need a lot of water?
Once established, cherry laurel is a relatively low-maintenance plant. While it is establishing, water regularly through dry spells, particularly in summer. Avoid overwatering, as cherry laurel does not tolerate waterlogged soil. Established laurels grow better with the help of balanced fertilisers such as Rootgrow fertiliser, whereas new laurels struggling to establish and grow prefer a natural, organic fertiliser such as Bonemeal.
What is the lifespan of a cherry laurel?
Lifespan. Carolina Cherry Laurel can live 25 years or more when provided with suitable growing conditions and regular maintenance. Cherry trees thrive in areas with full sun and well-drained soil. They require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to produce quality fruit. Before planting, assess your local climate to ensure it aligns with the tree’s needs.Across all varieties cherry trees tend to have a short lifespan, typically around 15-30 years. However black cherry trees can live for anything up to 250 years.
Is cherry laurel high maintenance?
Low maintenance and easy to grow cherry laurel is incredibly hardy and adaptable. It thrives in a variety of soil types, tolerates drought once established, and can handle both full sun and partial shade. It also requires minimal trimming—just one or two prunings per year—to keep it looking neat and tidy. As a rule, it is enough to trim the cherry laurel once immediately after flowering. This stimulates new shoots and keeps the shrub in shape. For varieties that sprawl quickly, it is advisable to cut the plant back twice a year.Will Laurel grow back if I cut it back hard? Yes, in general, you can cut Cherry Laurel, Portugal Laurel and Bay Laurel right back to the stump and it will re-shoot. If you just want to trim the sides back hard then this will also re-shoot.Cherry laurels are very pruning tolerant shrubs that should be cut back once or twice a year depending on how vigorous they are. As a rule, it is enough to trim the cherry laurel once immediately after flowering. This stimulates new shoots and keeps the shrub in shape.Laurel hedges can technically be trimmed at any time; the main advice we can offer is to try and avoid trimming Laurel in the coldest months of the year as the cut edges can be susceptible to frost damage.