Not all varieties are completely hardy
Whether the evergreen wood can cope with long periods of cold weather unharmed varies from variety to variety. If you live in harsh areas, you should therefore only choose cherry laurel species that can withstand temperatures of up to -20 degrees for a short time.
also read
- The water requirement of the cherry laurel
- Cherry laurel: Pretty container plant for the balcony and terrace
- How fast is the cherry laurel?
The following types are considered extremely frost-resistant:
- Angustifolia (Portuguese cherry laurel)
- Etna
- Herbergii (upright cherry laurel)
- Otto Luyken (Broad-growing laurel cherry)
- Diana
- Mount Vernon
Some popular species are more suitable for mild regions
Frost-sensitive varieties such as Rotundfolia often freeze back a little in winter. But even if the cherry laurel shows clear damage from the cold, this is no cause for concern, because the wood usually sprouts willingly.
Nevertheless, you should give conditionally hardy varieties in rough regions a sheltered place near the house.
Protect cherry laurel from frost
An approximately ten centimeter thick layer of mulch made of leaves or bark mulch protects the soil from drying out due to icy winds and warms the root area of the plants. In rough regions, protect young plants from excessive cold by placing fir branches upright on the ground. Put the twigs firmly in the ground and secure them around the cherry laurel so that the winter protection cannot be blown away.
Container plants are particularly at risk in winter, as the substrate in the pot freezes through quickly and the wood can no longer absorb any moisture. Therefore, place the cherry laurel in a sheltered corner near the house. Shield the planter against the cold with bubble wrap or burlap. Alternatively, you can overwinter the cherry laurel in a bright, frost-free room or in an unheated greenhouse.
Important: water the cherry laurel in winter too
The evergreen shrub evaporates a lot of moisture over the large leaf surface on sunny or windy winter days. The cherry laurel therefore needs additional watering on frost-free days.
If the sun shines on the foliage during the day and the plant cannot replace the evaporated liquid because of the frozen soil, the leaves turn yellow. The cherry laurel sometimes even reacts to these so-called bald frosts with complete leaf shedding. However, this does not mean that the wood has died.
In the spring, cut all frozen parts of the plant deep into the healthy wood. The cherry laurel usually sprouts again and after a few weeks you can no longer see the winter damage.
Tips & Tricks
Cherry laurel is a beautiful solitary wood that brings color to the winter garden with its intensely colored foliage. It is wonderful to see how frost adorns the leaves and glitters in the sun.
SKb
