Cherry Laurel ‘Zabeliana’

Cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ or prunus laurocerasus ‘Zabeliana’ is a low and slow-growing variety of cherry laurel perfect for small garden hedges or as a ground cover. Cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ is an evergreen hedging plant of spreading habit, which is what makes it so ideal for use as a ground cover. Prunus laurocerasus ‘Zabeliana’ features narrow, oblong, glossy dark green leaves, erect racemes of tiny fragrant white flowers in spring and horizontal branching.

Cherry Laurel ‘Zabeliana’ Maintenance

Despite its slow growth rate, it is important to clip this shrub at least once or twice a year, if you plant ‘Zabeliana’ as a hedge, in order to force upright growth and prevent it from spreading horizontally. It can be trimmed to either formal or informal shape and will reach an ultimate height of 1.25m at a rate of 20cm a year. Cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ can be planted in all soil types and in all positions, tolerating both drought and deep shade. However, chalky soils are best avoided or treated.

Cherry Laurel ‘Zabeliana’: Exceptionally Hardy

One of the qualities that cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ is famous for is its exceptional hardiness. In fact, many experts claim that ‘Zabeliana’ is the hardiest variety of cherry laurel available. You do not have to worry if it will survive the average British winter; temperatures cold enough to make this cherry laurel cultivar suffer are relatively rare in the UK. Being so hardy, cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ is suitable as a hedge plant for both the southern and northern regions of Britain. Another thing that sets cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ apart from other varieties is the fact that its leaves are significantly narrower than those of other cultivars. Because of this, ‘Zabeliana’ really has a character of its own.

Gorgeous Evergreen Cherry Laurel ‘Zabeliana’ Hedges

Cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ is a beautiful hedge plant that will hold on to its green leaves even during the winter months, is quite easy to maintain and can easily cope with the cold. Maybe that sounds too good to be true, but cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ offers all of these qualities in a gorgeous little package. Only its broad growth habit can be problematic, which is why it needs to be pruned twice a year – preferably in early spring and late summer or early autumn – in order to be kept in control. Pruning a cherry laurel ‘Zabeliana’ is not too difficult, however. Are you looking for a low cherry laurel hedge with a less broad habit? In that case, cherry laurel ‘Herbergii’ may be a better option.