How Fast Do Laurels Grow? A Guide to Laurel Growth Rates

Laurels are popular evergreen shrubs that are often used for hedging and screening. With their lush green foliage and tolerance of pruning, laurels like cherry laurel, bay laurel, and Portugal laurel make excellent hedges However, one downside of laurels is that most varieties are relatively slow growing. If you want a quick, instant hedge, laurels may not be the best choice But if you understand laurel growth rates and use tips to maximize growth, you can still achieve an established laurel hedge in a reasonable timeframe.

Factors That Affect Laurel Growth Rates

How quickly your laurel hedge fills in depends on several factors:

• Laurel variety – The most common hedging laurels grow at different rates. Cherry laurel is one of the fastest, while bay laurel is quite slow.

• Growing conditions – Laurels grow fastest in full sun and moist, well-draining, fertile soil Insufficient light, drought stress, compacted soil or nutrient deficiencies will slow growth

• Pruning and maintenance – Regular trimming stimulates dense, bushy growth. Keeping laurel hedges weed and pest free also encourages faster growth.

• Age of plants – Growth rate tends to slow as laurel hedges mature. Younger plants put on more vigorous growth for the first 5-10 years.

• Time of year – Laurels grow most actively in spring and early summer. Expect little growth during winter dormancy.

Soil preparation, planting techniques, and aftercare also affect laurel growth rates. Follow best practices for site preparation, planting, watering, fertilization, and pruning to give your laurel hedge its best chance of thriving.

Growth Rates of Common Laurel Varieties

• Cherry laurel – Up to 2 feet per year when young
• Portugal laurel – Up to 18 inches per year
• Spotted laurel – Up to 18 inches per year
• Bay laurel – Up to 16 inches per year
• Otto Luyken laurel – Up to 12 inches per year

These are approximate maximum growth rates you can expect in ideal conditions. Portugal, spotted, bay and Otto Luyken laurel are smaller, slower growing varieties more suited to formal hedges. Cherry laurel is vigourous and can gain several feet of growth per year when happy.

How to Maximize Laurel Growth

Follow these tips to invigorate your laurel hedge and achieve faster, healthier growth:

• Test and amend the soil – Laurels thrive in slightly acidic soil. Add compost and adjust pH if needed.

• Water thoroughly – Drought stressed laurels will barely grow. Provide at least 1-2 inches of water per week.

• Apply fertilizer – Use a balanced organic or synthetic fertilizer to provide nutrients.

• Control weeds/grass – Weeds rob water and nutrients, slowing laurel growth. Apply mulch and pull weeds promptly.

• Prune regularly – Trimming stimulates bushy regrowth. Never remove >20% of growth at once.

• Check for pests/disease – Treat any problems promptly to avoid stunted growth.

• Rejuvenate older hedges – Cut bare branches back to live wood to reinvigorate. Fertilize to encourage new growth.

With optimal care, you can achieve up to 2 feet of new growth per year for vigorous varieties like cherry laurel. Proper planting, maintenance and pruning will help your laurel hedge establish and fill in nicely.

When to Expect Growth

Laurel growth follows a yearly cycle:

• Spring – New leaf buds emerge and rapid stem elongation occurs through early summer. This is the main growth period.

• Early summer – Stems continue extending through early summer before tapering off. Flowering happens in late spring/early summer.

• Mid-late summer – Growth slows to a near standstill by mid to late summer. Heat and drought stress limit growth during this time.

• Fall – Cooler weather may spur limited new growth before winter dormancy. Laurels mainly just harden off for winter.

• Winter – Leaves remain evergreen but laurels are dormant throughout winter. Little if any new growth happens until spring.

Time spring pruning, fertilization, and soil improvements to boost laurels right as growth takes off. Avoid pruning or water stress during peak summer heat when growth stalls. Feed and prune lightly again in fall to prepare for next spring’s growth surge.

First Year Growth Rates

Don’t expect new laurel hedges to achieve maximum growth in the first year. It takes time for young plants to establish roots and transition from pot/field to ground. Some guidelines for first year laurel growth:

• Container grown – These establish quickest and may put on 1 foot or more of growth if planted in early spring.

• Bare root plants – With proper care, can achieve 6 inches to 1 foot of growth in the first year after planting in late winter.

• Root balled – These also need time to establish but should produce 8-15 inches of growth in year one if planted while dormant.

Prevent transplant shock by watering thoroughly at planting and as needed the first year. Also protect new hedges from weed competition until established.

Achieving a Full Hedgerow

How long it takes for laurel hedges to fill in depends on initial plant spacing and growth rate. For comparison:

• 2 feet apart – Up to 4 years to fill for cherry laurel, 5-6 years for slower varieties
• 3 feet apart – May take 5-8 years for a dense laurel hedge to fill in

Wider spacing gives larger, thicker individual plants but delays achieving a closed-in hedge. Close spacing fills in quickly but requires more frequent pruning to avoid thinning out.

No matter the initial spacing, be diligent with your maintenance regimen to help your laurel hedge optimize its growth. With proper care, most laurel varieties will achieve a mature, dense hedgerow within 5-8 years of planting.

When Growth Rates Slow

Laurel growth naturally starts to slow as plants age. After the first 5-10 years, expect yearly growth to decline to half the maximum rates or less. You may only get 6-12 inches of new growth per year from a mature laurel hedge.

If growth seems to stall out, your laurel hedge is likely just entering its slower middle-aged growth phase. But you can give stagnant hedges a boost through:

• Aggressive renewal pruning in spring
• Application of a complete organic fertilizer
• Mulching and diligent watering during dry periods
• Checking for and treating disease, pest, or drainage issues

With a little TLC, you can maintain steady, if slower, laurel growth for decades to come. Proper care and corrective pruning keeps ageing hedges looking their best.

When to Choose Faster Growing Hedge Plants

For very quick hedges, laurels may not be the best choice. When you need a hedge less than 2 years, consider fast growing options like:

• Leyland cypress – Grows 3+ feet per year. Establishes thickly in 1-2 years.

• Arborvitae – Up to 2 feet of annual growth. Forms a hedge within 2-3 years.

• Privet – Grows up to 2 feet yearly. Can fill in fully within 2 years.

• Hornbeam – Gains 1-2 feet per year. Forms a tidy hedge in 2-4 years.

Or plant laurel at closer 9-12 inch spacing to fill in more quickly. Just be prepared for more frequent pruning to maintain density.

The relatively slow, steady growth of laurels is a plus, however, when you want a tidy formal hedge that requires minimal trimming. Laurels are ideal for hedges where you value easy care and rich greenery over fast growth.

Let Your Laurel Hedge Grow at Its Natural Pace

Now that you know what to expect from your laurel hedge’s growth rate, let it achieve its full potential. With the right growing conditions and care, your laurel hedge will flourish and fill in according to its variety’s natural habits. Laurel’s slow but steady growth results in handsome, long-lived hedgerows.

For a Skip Laurel hedge, spacing generally falls between 3 and 5 feet apart.