Prunus laurocerasus Herbergii- Cherry Laurel

The Prunus laurocerasus 'Herbergii' is a variety of Cherry Laurel, or Palm Laurel, distinguished by its exquisite evergreen foliage, made up of long lance-shaped leaves. Popular among gardeners, this bush tolerates pruning well and is widely used to create evergreen screens with strong shading and windbreak capabilities. Hardy, fast-growing, and easy to grow, it develops beautiful satin green foliage. If not pruned, fluffy panicles of slightly fragrant white-cream flowers are produced in spring.

Native to Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, indigenous to Iran, the Caucasus, and Turkey, the Cherry Laurel, sometimes called Trabzon Laurel, Almond laurel, or Palm laurel, is an evergreen shrub of the Rosaceae family. The 'Herbergii' cultivar was selected in Germany in 1930. The habit of this bush is both erect and bushy, well-branched at the base. At maturity (after 10 years), it should reach approximately 4m (13.1 ft) in height and 2m (6.6 ft) in width, if not hindered in its lateral development. Its foliage consists of large and long leathery leaves measuring 10 to 15 cm (5.9 in) long and 3 to 5 cm (2 in) wide, with a glossy green colour, more or less intense depending on the nature of the soil. In limestone soil, it will tend towards light green, and in acidic soil, towards dark green. The lamina is shiny on the upper side, paler and matte on the underside, and very decorative. In April-May, upright clusters of 10 to 12 cm (4.7 in) covered with tiny white-cream, fragrant flowers appear at the ends of the shoots, visited by bees. They give way, in summer, to small ovoid fruits, initially green, then red, becoming black when ripe, inedible but sought after by birds that spread the seeds.

Caution: The leaves and all parts of the cherry laurel are poisonous if eaten, except for the fruit pulp (which contains the toxic seed). These parts of the plant contain prussic acid (hydrocyanic acid), associated with an aromatic substance called benzaldehyde. This substance has the scent of bitter almond and is also found in the almonds of apricot and peach kernels.

The Cherry Laurel, fast-growing, hardy, straightforward to grow, and tolerant of pruning, is one of Europe's most widely used shrubs for creating hedge screens. This plant possesses all the qualities to excel as a low or high hedge. As a low hedge, it acts as a screen, while in a tall hedge, it forms an excellent windbreak and sound insulator. When planting in a hedge, it is recommended to space each plant 80 cm (31.5 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) apart. However, this 'Herbergii' palm laurel should never be pruned with a hedge trimmer as this can damage its foliage and remove its charming flowering at the bud stage. It looks best in a free hedge mixed with other evergreens such as Elaeagnus ebbingei, Viburnum tinus, Rhamnus alaternus, Arbutus unedo, Photinia, If (x) media, Pyracantha, Cotoneaster lacteus, or in a shrub bed. If the fruits mature, they will give rise to numerous young plants inside or outside the garden.