Plant Library

Other Names:  Mt. Vernon Laurel, English Laurel, Common Laurel

Description:

A groundcover form of cherry laurel; produces showy, fragrant, white flowers, and black fruit over glossy evergreen leaves; takes pruning very well; looks great in mixed borders with taller shrubs

Ornamental Features

Mount Vernon Laurel features showy racemes of fragrant white flowers rising above the foliage in mid spring. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Mount Vernon Laurel is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Mount Vernon Laurel is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Mount Vernon Laurel will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.