Skip Cherry Laurel

Skip Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis')

Skip Cherry Laurel brings dense evergreen structure and reliable screening value to the landscape in a more refined, upright form than many broader cherry laurel selections. Its glossy dark green foliage keeps planting areas looking full and polished in every season, while the narrower habit makes it especially useful where privacy and year-round coverage are needed without an overly bulky shrub. This cultivar is a strong choice for hedges, foundation plantings, and evergreen backdrops that need both height and control. For gardeners who want dependable screening, polished foliage, and broad landscape versatility, Skip Cherry Laurel is an excellent choice.

Distinctive Features

Skip Cherry Laurel is prized for its lustrous dark green evergreen leaves and its dense vase-shaped to goblet-shaped habit, which gives it a taller, narrower profile than many other cherry laurels. Fragrant white flower spikes appear in spring and add a softer ornamental moment before the foliage resumes center stage. If left unpruned, the flowers may be followed by small dark fruit that birds may visit. Mature size varies somewhat by source and pruning style, but a conservative landscape range is about 6 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide, with plants often maintained smaller and denser in hedge use.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Plant in full sun to partial shade, with good adaptability to brighter shade than many evergreen screening shrubs.
• Soil: Grow in moist but well-drained soil, with best performance in organically enriched ground.
• Water: Provide regular water during establishment, then water as needed, since established plants show moderate drought tolerance in suitable soil.
• Zones: Hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 9.
• Habit: This is a dense upright evergreen shrub with a vase-shaped to goblet-shaped form.
• Bloom and Fruit: Fragrant white flower spikes appear in spring and may be followed by small dark fruit if flowering stems are left in place.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use as a focal point in evergreen beds where its glossy foliage and upright habit can anchor the planting all year.
• Screening: Plant as a screen or privacy hedge where dense evergreen growth is needed for year-round coverage.
• Foundation Plantings: Use in larger foundation beds where evergreen height and structure can soften walls and define the space.
• Hedging: Shear or lightly shape into a formal or informal hedge where a taller refined barrier is desired.
• Woodland Edges: Include along woodland margins or shaded property lines where its shade tolerance is especially useful.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune after flowering or as needed to shape the plant, control height, and maintain a dense hedge or screen.
• Watering Routine: Water consistently during establishment, then reduce supplemental watering once the root system is settled.
• Drainage: Avoid wet sites, especially in winter, because consistently soggy soil can reduce vigor and increase disease pressure.
• Spacing: Give plants enough room to develop density while still allowing air movement, especially in hedge plantings.
• Safety Note: Leaves, stems, and seeds are considered toxic if ingested, so placement should account for children and pets.

Why Choose Skip Cherry Laurel?

• Excellent Screening Value: Its dense evergreen growth makes it a dependable choice for privacy and year-round coverage.
• Refined Upright Habit: The narrower profile helps it fit more easily into tighter screening spaces than broader broadleaf evergreens.
• Glossy Evergreen Foliage: The dark green leaves provide a polished look and strong four-season presence.
• Shade Adaptability: It performs well in conditions ranging from sun to partial shade and brighter shade than many screening shrubs.
• Strong Landscape Versatility: It works beautifully as a hedge, screen, backdrop, or structural evergreen in larger foundation and border plantings.

Skip Cherry Laurel is an excellent choice for gardeners who want dense evergreen screening, glossy foliage, and long-term landscape structure in one plant. Whether used as a privacy hedge, a tall backdrop, or a year-round foundation shrub, it brings dependable coverage and a confident focal point to the landscape.