its dense, glossy dark-green foliage, attractive reddish stems and refined architectural appearance. Its small, fragrant white flowers appear in early summer, followed by ornamental fruits that mature from red to dark purple, providing additional seasonal interest.
Portuguese Laurel is particularly suited to formal gardens, contemporary landscapes and residential properties where attractive year-round screening and evergreen structure are required. Although commonly grown as hedging, it can also be cultivated as an individual specimen tree, including standard and multi-stem forms, creating a distinctive evergreen feature with a naturally dense, rounded crown.
This versatile tree performs best in full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil, tolerating clay, loam, sand and chalk. Its moderate growth rate and ability to respond well to pruning make it particularly useful for maintained evergreen screening, although sufficient space must be allowed for its eventual size.
Key Features of Portuguese Laurel
Moderate growth rate • Dense, glossy dark-green evergreen foliage • Attractive reddish stems • Fragrant white flowers in early summer • Ornamental dark-purple fruits • Excellent year-round screening • Suitable for standard and multi-stem specimen forms • Ideal for formal gardens and architectural planting • Valuable flowers for pollinating insects
Prunus lusitanica Plant Specification
Mature size: Can exceed 12m high × 8m wide when grown unrestricted; maintained standard specimens can be kept smaller through regular pruning
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Evergreen
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Soil: Moist but well-drained clay, loam, sand or chalk; tolerates a range of soil pH conditions
UK native: No – native to parts of south-western Europe and North Africa
Wildlife value: Good – fragrant summer flowers provide nectar and pollen for pollinating insects, while the dense evergreen foliage offers shelter for birds
Hardiness: RHS H5 – hardy in most UK gardens, although exposed sites may benefit from some protection
Toxicity: Leaves are harmful if eaten, including by pets. Fruits should not be consumed unless positively identified as safe and fully ripe.
Specimen Tree Delivery and Professional Planting
We can professionally plant specimen trees in the following postcode areas:
BB, BL, CH1–CH5, CW8, CW9, FY, L, LA1–LA6, M, OL, PR, SK1–SK12, WA and WN.
Please do not select professional planting at checkout if your property is outside these postcode areas without contacting us first.
If you live outside our normal installation area, please call 01942 604976 or email hello@landscapingemporium.co.uk. We may still be able to arrange planting, depending on your location, the tree size and site access.
Before ordering a large specimen tree, please consider delivery access, gate and passage widths, steps, slopes, overhead restrictions and the available planting space.
Portuguese Laurel is available in different nursery forms, including standards and multi-stem specimens. The overall height, clear-stem height and crown dimensions will depend on the selected tree size and form.
For more information, please refer to our tree specification and delivery, access and planting guidance.
Landscaping Emporium – brought to you by Kirman Design
Unit 9, Bridgewater Business Park
Gladstone Street
Blackburn
BB1 3DL
Telephone: 01942 604976
Email: hello@landscapingemporium.co.uk
its dense, glossy dark-green foliage, attractive reddish stems and refined architectural appearance. Its small, fragrant white flowers appear in early summer, followed by ornamental fruits that mature from red to dark purple, providing additional seasonal interest.
Portuguese Laurel is particularly suited to formal gardens, contemporary landscapes and residential properties where attractive year-round screening and evergreen structure are required. Although commonly grown as hedging, it can also be cultivated as an individual specimen tree, including standard and multi-stem forms, creating a distinctive evergreen feature with a naturally dense, rounded crown.
This versatile tree performs best in full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil, tolerating clay, loam, sand and chalk. Its moderate growth rate and ability to respond well to pruning make it particularly useful for maintained evergreen screening, although sufficient space must be allowed for its eventual size.
Key Features of Portuguese Laurel
Moderate growth rate • Dense, glossy dark-green evergreen foliage • Attractive reddish stems • Fragrant white flowers in early summer • Ornamental dark-purple fruits • Excellent year-round screening • Suitable for standard and multi-stem specimen forms • Ideal for formal gardens and architectural planting • Valuable flowers for pollinating insects
Prunus lusitanica Plant Specification
Mature size: Can exceed 12m high × 8m wide when grown unrestricted; maintained standard specimens can be kept smaller through regular pruning
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Evergreen
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Soil: Moist but well-drained clay, loam, sand or chalk; tolerates a range of soil pH conditions
UK native: No – native to parts of south-western Europe and North Africa
Wildlife value: Good – fragrant summer flowers provide nectar and pollen for pollinating insects, while the dense evergreen foliage offers shelter for birds
Hardiness: RHS H5 – hardy in most UK gardens, although exposed sites may benefit from some protection
Toxicity: Leaves are harmful if eaten, including by pets. Fruits should not be consumed unless positively identified as safe and fully ripe.
Specimen Tree Delivery and Professional Planting
We can professionally plant specimen trees in the following postcode areas:
BB, BL, CH1–CH5, CW8, CW9, FY, L, LA1–LA6, M, OL, PR, SK1–SK12, WA and WN.
Please do not select professional planting at checkout if your property is outside these postcode areas without contacting us first.
If you live outside our normal installation area, please call 01942 604976 or email hello@landscapingemporium.co.uk. We may still be able to arrange planting, depending on your location, the tree size and site access.
Before ordering a large specimen tree, please consider delivery access, gate and passage widths, steps, slopes, overhead restrictions and the available planting space.
Portuguese Laurel is available in different nursery forms, including standards and multi-stem specimens. The overall height, clear-stem height and crown dimensions will depend on the selected tree size and form.
For more information, please refer to our tree specification and delivery, access and planting guidance.
Landscaping Emporium – brought to you by Kirman Design
Unit 9, Bridgewater Business Park
Gladstone Street
Blackburn
BB1 3DL
Telephone: 01942 604976
Email: hello@landscapingemporium.co.uk
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