how do you plant otto luyken laurel

Full Answer

How far apart should you plant Otto Luyken laurel?

3 to 5 feet apartIf you want an informal screen, needing little or no clipping, plant a row of Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel, spacing the plants 3 to 5 feet apart. At the closer spacing it will just be a few years before you have a dense screen. The wider spacing will take a year or two longer, but it too will soon fill-in.

How fast do Otto Luykens grow?

Take your pick. The species (photo right) grows fast (up to 2' per year) to 20 feet tall, if left unpruned. 'Otto Luyken' grows to 3-4 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide.

How often should I water Otto Luyken laurel?

weeklyPrunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken'Botanical PronunciationPROO-nus lar-oh-ser-AY-susWater NeedsModerateWatering NeedsWater regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.Companion PlantsEuonymus (Euonymus); Spirea (Spiraea); Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina); Holly (Ilex); Lilyturf (Liriope)14 more rows

How big does Otto Luyken grow?

3-4 feet tall'Otto Luyken' is a compact cultivar that grows only 3-4 feet tall and spreads to 6-8 feet. Over time it can grow 6-10 feet tall. It is free-flowering. It was introduced by Hesse Nurseries in Germany around 1968.

Can you cut back Otto Luyken laurel?

An "Otto Luyken" English laurel that outgrows its site, has been badly pruned in the past, or had died out at the bottom and needs to be refreshed, can be pruned back hard in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.

What is eating my Otto Luyken laurel?

The Otto Luyken laurel may be one of the more pest-resistant members of the Prunus plant family, but shothole borers (Scolytus rugulosus) still occasionally overrun this shrub.

How do you prune Otto Luyken?

Prune Otto Luyken immediately after the shrub flowers, so that you don't cut away buds that are forming for next season. Use pruning shears on a first-year bush, cutting the branches back by one-third to one-half their length. Do this again in the second season.

Is Otto Luyken laurel deer resistant?

Otto Luyken Laurel for Sale Online The showy, fragrant white flowers attract butterflies, and the attractive dark green foliage is deer resistant.

Why are the leaves on my Otto Luyken laurel turning yellow?

Expert Response. It looks like your shrubs are showing symptoms of a sucking insect called white prunicola scale. This is a common pest of cherry laurel and we get many questions on this. They feed on plant sap and their feeding leads to leaf yellowing, browning, and eventual dieback of branches.

What is the difference between English laurel and cherry laurel?

Cherry laurel, also called English laurel, is a large evergreen shrub or small tree often used for landscaping, usually as a hedge. Related to cherry trees, cherry laurel gets its common name from its resemblance to the true laurel tree.

Are laurel bushes evergreen?

Laurel is quick-growing and evergreen. If you don't want a conifer hedge, then Laurel is the next quickest growing evergreen shrub that will form a good garden hedge.

Are there dwarf cherry laurels?

Dwarf Carolina Laurel Cherry is commonly used in California as a hedge due to its tight branching, low maintenance, evergreen qualities. It also shapes nicely into a topiary or even a tree.

How fast does Schip Laurel grow?

roughly 24 inches per yearThey naturally have a vase-like shape. Skip laurels grow to be 10-18 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide, with a moderate growth rate of roughly 24 inches per year. Their dense foliage is glossy green year-round, and fragrant white blossoms bloom in spring.

What is a skip laurel?

Schip Laurel, Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis', (also known as Skip laurel, Schipka laurel, or Skipka laurel) is a cold-hardy and shade-tolerant cherry laurel. It is a stellar option for creating a narrow evergreen privacy hedge for a variety of climates.

How tall does a luyken grow?

'Otto Luyken' is a compact cultivar evergreen shrub that grows to 3-4 feet tall and spreads to 6-8 feet. Over time it can grow 6-10 feet tall. It is free-flowering so prune as needed after flowering. It blooms in spring, has a compact habit, and is free flowering even in heavy shade. It was introduced by Hesse Nurseries in Germany around 1968. It grows best in soils with high organic matter and good drainage. It tolerates shade and prefers it in hotter climates. It is often confused with 'Zabeliana' in trade which has more upright growth form, growing taller than wide ("refrigerator form") and spreading leaves. 'Otto Luyken' grows wider than tall ("freezer form") and bears strongly ascending leaves 45-60 degree angle to the stem; both have entire leaves or occasionally one or two minute teeth. Both are separated from 'Schipkaensis' by entire margins as 'Schipkaensis' is toothed toward the apex. This plant is tolerant of alkaline soils, dry and poor soils, pollution, and heavy pruning. It is moderately tolerant to salt, but is intolerant of heavy fertilization. It has a rapid growth rate with competitive roots and pest and disease problems.

How many petals does an inflorescence have?

Inflorescence is a dense, cylindrical raceme to 10 cm in leaf axils. Flowers are white and small with 7 petals and showy anthers.

How wide do Otto Luykens grow?

Otto Luykens grow naturally a bit wider than tall. I have mature ones in front of my house and I'm hard pressed to keep them trimmed to about 5 feet wide without major pruning several times a year.

Is Otto slow growing?

I have found Otto to be very slow growing in my garden here in northern VA, so you probably won't have to worry too much for quite a few years. Mine are n partial shade/shade.

What zone does Otto Luyken Laurel grow in?

Otto Luyken laurel grows in sun to partial shade in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 to 8.

Where did the English laurel originate?

Otto Luyken English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken') originated in the Mediterranean, according to Sheri Davis, master gardener at the University of Idaho Extension.

Where did the laurel blossom originate?

laurel blossom image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com. Otto Luyken English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken') originated in the Mediterranean, according to Sheri Davis, master gardener at the University of Idaho Extension. The low-maintenance shrub needs little fertilizer generally.

Why are my plants' leaves yellow?

When the soil pH level is high, the leaves become yellow (chlorosis) due to an iron deficiency. Alkaline soils bind up iron, making it unavailable for plants. Soil amendments are preferable to granular fertilizers except in the poorest soils, because they pose less of a risk of burning the plant.

Is Otto Luyken laurel a good fertilizer?

Balanced Fertilizer. Otto Luyken laurel is related to azaleas and rhododendrons and has similar fertility requirements. No additional fertilizer is needed in well-amended, fertile soils, but gardeners may apply a few tablespoons of a slow-release, granular fertilizer (10-10-10) in the spring or fall, according to the U.S. National Arboretum.

Is Otto Luyken invasive?

Otto Luyken laurel is an invasive plant in some areas and is listed as a "plant of concern" by the King County, Washington, government. It spreads easily through seeds, layering and suckers and may outcompete native plants in moist climates. It is also difficult to eradicate. Otto Luyken la urel grows in sun to partial shade in USDA plant hardiness ...

How tall is Otto Luyken?

Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 8. This compact, broadleaf evergreen shrub only reaches about 3 feet tall with 6-foot spreads and is commonly used as a hedge, a specimen plant or in group plantings.

What causes a laurel plant to drop leaves?

This English laurel cultivar sometimes suffers from root rot and powdery mildew diseases. Root rot pathogens (Phytophthora spp.) enter the roots and disrupt the transfer of water and nutrients. Although the fungi thrive in overly wet soil conditions, affected plants look drought stressed with wilted, discolored, stunted and prematurely dropping foliage. Infected branches and twigs typically suffer dieback while cankers or stains often appear on infected trunks. Various fungus species trigger powdery mildew, a disease that causes a white, powdery growth to form on leaf surfaces. Affected foliage may also appear stunted and misshapen.

What causes a shot hole on a luyken tree?

The Otto Luyken occasionally suffers from shot hole, a disease caused by bacterial pathogens (Xanthomonas pruni). This disease typically starts in early summer with little, brown sores appearing on the undersides of leaves. The spots grow and develop red borders and yellow halos. The spots eventually fall out of the leaves, leaving behind gaping holes and tattered leaf tissue. Many infected trees look as though someone peppered them with buckshot.