Schip Laurel

Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 6-15′ depending on pruning

Width at Maturity: 5-7′ depending on pruning

Spacing: 4-5′ for solid hedges or privacy screens; 10′ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Upright

Growth Rate: Fast – Up to 2 feet per year!

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Small, packed on spikes (candles)

Flowering Period: Spring

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes!

Foliage Color: Very Deep Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: Yes, somewhat inconspicuous

Berry Color: Black

Sun Needs: Full Sun, Full Shade, Morning Sun With Afternoon Shade. Filtered Sun, Morning Shade With Afternoon Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well-drained

Soil pH: 4.5 – 7.5 (Very Acid to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Low to Average

Attracts: Birds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Drought (moderate when established), Shade

Description

A very adaptable and fast growing evergreen shrub that will grow in sun or shade, the Schip Laurel, sometimes referred to as the Schip Cherry Laurel and misspelled as “skip laurel,” is prized for its high-gloss foliage and highly fragrant flowers in spring. Adding up to 2 feet in height per year, the deep green shiny leaves of Schip Laurel form a dense evergreen shrub with a year-round “polished” look that is perfect as an accent or to frame corners in home foundations or to form a quick hedge or privacy screen.

In spring, loads of fragrant white flower “candles” are very pretty against the dark foliage, adding to the overall appeal of the plant. Without pruning, the Schip Laurel grows up to 15 feet tall and 6 to 7 feet wide. That said, plants can be maintained at about half those dimensions with an annual pruning or two. If you’re looking to add an elegant plant to your home foundation planting or landscape border the Schip Laurel is sure to fit the bill!

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing upright from 6 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide (depending on pruning), the Schip Laurel is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings or as a natural or formal hedge in sunny or shady home foundation plantings and landscape borders. A fine addition to fragrance gardens and formal gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 4 to 5′ for solid hedges or privacy screens; 10′ for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Laurel is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

The Schip Laurel is easy to grow in most a moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter and full sun to part shade. Well-drained soil is essential. As with so many other ornamental shrubs, constantly soggy or wet soil can cause problems with the roots. In USDA Zone 8 plants will perform and look their best when provided some shade or filtered sun during the hot, mid-afternoon hours. Here in USDA Zone 8a of Georgia we’ve had success growing them in almost full shade. In the cooler climates of USDA Zones 6 and 7 plants will tolerate full sun to almost full shade.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Laurel shrubs

How To Plant And Care For English Cherry Laurels

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us

Plants arrived packed well and healthy. I’ve had them for about a month now and have not had any problems.——————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

All the plants we got from Wilson Bros Gardens are fantastic. The laurels are doing very well! They ship things quickly and pack it well, and all the plants are of highest qualitty!—————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

My 4 Schip laurels arrived in excellent condition. The packaging was very protective. I actually had to use a small hand saw and crow bar to get the plants out!?? they were in the ground in about 3 days & growing beautifully. Eventually they will form a hedge along my property line. Thank you, Wilson Brothers!———————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I have purchased a few plants online, but the ones from Wilson Bros were one of the best I’ve received. This plant was a very nice specimen that shipped much faster than expected. It arrived in good health with very little stress considering the distance. Will be happy to order from Wilson Bros again.——————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them all for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG