Portuguese Laurel

Prunus lusitanica

• Position: full sun, partial shade or shade
• Soil: moist but well-drained soil, except shallow chalk
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: April
• Flower colour: white
• Other features: lovely leaves with bright carmine red stalks
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  A lovely large, evergreen shrub that has dark green leaves with red stalks. Small white, slightly fragrant flowers are borne on long racemes in early summer, and often followed by small, red fruit which eventually turn dark purple. The fruit is harmful if eaten. Portugal laurel is an excellent hedging plant and it can even tolerate chalky soils.
  
  
• Garden care: When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake firmly. Prune in either spring or summer. Mature plants can tolerate hard pruning in spring, cutting back to the old wood.
  
  
• Goes well with: Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Grayswood Ghost', Viburnum sargentii 'Onondaga', Choisya ternata 'Sundance', Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', Daphne mezereum f. alba, Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'