Cherry Laurel (prunus laurocerasus)
SKU:
£1.25
£1.25 - £14.00
per item
Seed Prices
5 grams (approx 22 seeds) £1.25
10 grams (approx 45 seeds) £2.10
25 grams (approx 112 seeds) £4.75
50 grams (approx 225 seeds) £8.50
100 grams (approx 450 seeds) £14.00
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The Cherry Laurel is a widely cultivated evergreen shrub or small tree used for planting in gardens and parks in temperate regions worldwide.
It is often used for hedges and as a screening plant, and massed landscape plantings. They are tough shrubs that can cope with difficult growing conditions, including shaded and dry conditions, and which respond well to pruning.
The leaves are large and glossy and it can be trimmed with regular clipping to produce a handsome, well structured hedge.
It is often used for hedges and as a screening plant, and massed landscape plantings. They are tough shrubs that can cope with difficult growing conditions, including shaded and dry conditions, and which respond well to pruning.
The leaves are large and glossy and it can be trimmed with regular clipping to produce a handsome, well structured hedge.
Germination, Sowing and After Care Information for
Cherry Laurel (prunus laurocerasus)
Cherry Laurel seeds have a deep dormancy within them, this requires a degree of patience to overcome and it is usually quite easy to get high levels of germination if the correct procedures are followed. The level of dormancy is easier to break than in most other prunus species.
To begin first prepare a free draining substrate into which the seeds are to be mixed, this can be a 50/50 mixture of compost and sharp sand, or perlite, vermiculite or even just pure sharp sand has worked well for me. The chosen substrate needs to be moist (but not wet), if you can squeeze water out of it with your hand it is too wet and your seeds may drown and die. Mix the seeds into the substrate, making sure that their is enough volume of material to keep the seeds separated.
Place the seed mixture into a clear plastic bag (freezer bags, especially zip-lock bags are very useful for this -provided a little gap is left in the seal for air exchange) If it is not a zip-lock type bag it needs to be loosely tied. Then write the date on the bag so that you know when the pretreatment was started.
The seeds require a cold period to break the dormancy that is naturally found within them, this is easily achieved by placing the prepared bag of seeds and compost mix in the fridge (4 Celsius or 39F) for around 9 weeks.
It is quite possible for the seeds to germinate in the bag at these temperatures when they are ready to do so, if they do, just remove them from the bag and carefully plant them up. Seeds that are ready to germinate will have split and a short root may be visible.
It has also been found that fluctuating pretreatment temperatures can give the best germination results and I have myself had excellent results by keeping the mixed seeds in a cold shed through the winter for the cold stage of their pretreatment and allowing the temperature to fluctuate naturally.
Do not expose newly sown seeds to high temperatures (above 25 Celsius) otherwise a secondary dormancy may be induced and the seeds will not germinate until they have been pretreated again. Germinated seeds can be planted in deep pots or plug trays in a good quality compost. Keep the seedlings well watered and weed free, they are fine in full sun once the germination stage is complete.
Growth in the first year is usually between 5 and 15cm and accelerates rapidly in the second year. The seedlings are pretty tough and robust and usually free from any pest problems. Allow them to grow for 2 or 3 years before planting them in a permanent position.
To begin first prepare a free draining substrate into which the seeds are to be mixed, this can be a 50/50 mixture of compost and sharp sand, or perlite, vermiculite or even just pure sharp sand has worked well for me. The chosen substrate needs to be moist (but not wet), if you can squeeze water out of it with your hand it is too wet and your seeds may drown and die. Mix the seeds into the substrate, making sure that their is enough volume of material to keep the seeds separated.
Place the seed mixture into a clear plastic bag (freezer bags, especially zip-lock bags are very useful for this -provided a little gap is left in the seal for air exchange) If it is not a zip-lock type bag it needs to be loosely tied. Then write the date on the bag so that you know when the pretreatment was started.
The seeds require a cold period to break the dormancy that is naturally found within them, this is easily achieved by placing the prepared bag of seeds and compost mix in the fridge (4 Celsius or 39F) for around 9 weeks.
It is quite possible for the seeds to germinate in the bag at these temperatures when they are ready to do so, if they do, just remove them from the bag and carefully plant them up. Seeds that are ready to germinate will have split and a short root may be visible.
It has also been found that fluctuating pretreatment temperatures can give the best germination results and I have myself had excellent results by keeping the mixed seeds in a cold shed through the winter for the cold stage of their pretreatment and allowing the temperature to fluctuate naturally.
Do not expose newly sown seeds to high temperatures (above 25 Celsius) otherwise a secondary dormancy may be induced and the seeds will not germinate until they have been pretreated again. Germinated seeds can be planted in deep pots or plug trays in a good quality compost. Keep the seedlings well watered and weed free, they are fine in full sun once the germination stage is complete.
Growth in the first year is usually between 5 and 15cm and accelerates rapidly in the second year. The seedlings are pretty tough and robust and usually free from any pest problems. Allow them to grow for 2 or 3 years before planting them in a permanent position.
