Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’

‘Otto Luyken’ is a compact, low-spreading form of cherry laurel with densely packed glossy dark green leaves, narrower than the ordinary laurel. Upright spikes of fragrant white flowers appear in April and May, loved by bees, followed by small red-to-black fruits.

It forms a neat spreading shrub, eventually around 1 to 1.2m tall and 1.5 to 2m wide, making it one of the best laurels for a low evergreen hedge or structural understorey. Holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Plant in any moist but well-drained soil in full sun to deep shade. Tough, tolerant of pollution, dry soils and heavy shade. Takes hard pruning well if you want to renovate an older plant.

A firm favourite for a low evergreen hedge, ground cover under trees, or a reliable structural shrub along a drive or path.