The Skip Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’) is a highly valued evergreen shrub, prized for its dense, glossy foliage and its ability to rapidly form a privacy screen or hedge. Known for its upright growth and hardiness, this fast-growing plant requires routine pruning. Pruning is necessary to maintain its desired shape, encourage dense branching, and ensure long-term health.
When to Prune Skip Laurel
The most opportune time for routine maintenance pruning is immediately after flowering, typically in late spring or early summer. Pruning then allows the plant to recover quickly and set new growth that will harden off before the following winter.
For major structural work, an alternative time is late winter or early spring before new growth appears. This timing allows the shrub to direct its energy toward new buds once the growing season begins.
Avoid significant pruning later in the fall. Pruning stimulates new, tender growth that lacks sufficient time to mature before cold weather. This soft tissue is highly susceptible to frost damage, which can compromise the shrub’s overall health and appearance.
Tools for Pruning and Safety Measures
Selecting appropriate tools is important for making clean cuts that heal quickly and reduce the chance of disease entering the plant. For light shaping and trimming new, thin growth, bypass hand pruners (secateurs) are the preferred choice. These tools make precise cuts without crushing the tissue.
For thicker branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter, use long-handled loppers for leverage and reach. Electric hedge trimmers can be used for formal hedges, but they often cut the large leaves in half, causing unsightly browning along the cut edges.
If power tools are used, follow up with hand pruners to clean up damaged leaves. Always wear protective gloves and eye protection when pruning. Disinfecting all cutting tools with rubbing alcohol before starting prevents the spread of plant diseases.
Routine Maintenance and Shaping
Annual maintenance focuses on promoting density and controlling size to prevent the shrub from becoming overgrown. The most effective method is selective pruning, or “thinning.” This involves cutting individual branches back to a side shoot, a healthy bud, or the main stem.
This technique encourages branching deeper within the canopy, resulting in a thicker, healthier shrub that maintains a natural appearance. When making a cut, angle the blade slightly away from the remaining bud to allow water to wick away, protecting the new growth.
For a formal hedge, light shearing can be performed conservatively. Avoid creating a dense outer shell that blocks light from the interior. Pruning should maintain a slightly wider base than the top, ensuring sunlight reaches the lower foliage and prevents the bottom from becoming bare.
Correcting Overgrowth with Rejuvenation Cuts
An older, neglected Skip Laurel that has become leggy or severely overgrown benefits from rejuvenation pruning. This measure involves cutting the plant back hard to stimulate new growth from the base or old wood. The best time for this heavy structural reduction is late winter or early spring before the shrub breaks dormancy.
To avoid stressing the plant excessively, spread this process over two to three years. Start by removing up to one-third of the oldest, thickest stems, cutting them back close to the ground. This thinning allows more light into the center, activating dormant buds and encouraging vigorous new shoots.
Although the shrub will temporarily lose some screening capability, the Skip Laurel is resilient and typically bounces back with renewed density and vigor.