Cherry laurels (Prunus laurocerasus) are popular evergreen shrubs, valued for their dense foliage and ability to form effective hedges and privacy screens. Propagating these plants offers a practical way to produce new specimens, allowing enthusiasts to expand existing plantings or share them.
Understanding Cherry Laurel Propagation
Propagating cherry laurels offers several advantages. It provides a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new shrubs, especially when many plants are desired. Propagation also preserves specific desirable varieties or unique characteristics of a parent plant, ensuring genetic consistency. Success often depends on aligning with the plant’s natural growth cycles, with the best times occurring during active growth for cuttings or dormancy for seeds.
Propagating Cherry Laurels from Cuttings
Propagating cherry laurels from cuttings is an effective method for increasing plant numbers. This technique involves taking sections of stems from a mature plant and encouraging them to develop roots, leading to new, genetically identical plants.
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood cuttings are taken from new, flexible growth of the current season, typically from May to July. Select healthy, non-flowering shoots 4-6 inches long. Remove leaves from the bottom 1-2 inches of the cutting to prevent rot and reduce moisture loss, leaving two to three leaves at the top. Dipping the cut end into a rooting hormone can improve root development.
Insert cuttings into a well-draining rooting medium, such as perlite and peat moss. Create a humid environment by covering the pot with a clear plastic dome or bag. Place potted cuttings in bright, indirect light, maintaining consistent moisture without waterlogging. Rooting takes several weeks; gentle tugging can indicate root formation if resistance is felt.
Hardwood Cuttings
Hardwood cuttings are taken from mature, dormant stems, typically from late fall to early winter after leaves have dropped. Choose healthy, disease-free, pencil-thick stems from the previous season’s growth. Cuttings should be 6-10 inches long. Make a slanted cut at the bottom, just below a node, and a straight cut at the top, just above a node.
Lightly wound the bark at the base of the cutting to expose the cambium layer, which promotes root formation. Apply a rooting hormone formulated for hardwood cuttings. Plant cuttings directly into a prepared outdoor nursery bed or large pots with well-draining soil. Bury approximately two-thirds of the cutting, ensuring at least one bud remains above the soil line, and protect them over winter with mulch if planted outdoors.
Propagating Cherry Laurels from Seed
Propagating cherry laurels from seed takes longer and may not produce plants identical to the parent due to genetic variation. Collect mature, black berries from a cherry laurel plant in late summer or early fall. Clean seeds thoroughly by removing all fleshy pulp, which prevents fungal growth. Cherry laurel seeds require cold stratification to break dormancy and encourage germination.
Mix cleaned seeds with moist sand or peat moss in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerate at 34-40°F (1-4°C) for 3 to 4 months. After stratification, sow seeds about 0.5 inches deep in a seed-starting mix. Maintain consistent moisture and provide a temperature around 65-70°F (18-21°C) for optimal germination. Germination can be slow and irregular, often taking weeks to months, requiring patience and consistent care.
Caring for Newly Propagated Cherry Laurels
Consistent moisture is crucial for newly rooted cuttings and germinating seedlings. Keep the rooting medium or soil evenly moist, avoiding waterlogging, which can lead to rot. Initially, provide indirect light to protect tender new growth from scorching. As young plants establish, gradually acclimate them to brighter conditions over a week or two.
Once true leaves or a robust root system develop, begin a light feeding schedule with diluted liquid fertilizer. Fertilize every two to four weeks during the active growing season. Transplant rooted cuttings or seedlings into individual pots once they have a strong root system. Move them to their final outdoor location after they have grown sufficiently and the risk of frost has passed, ensuring they are well-established.