Otto Luyken English Laurel

Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken'

Otto Luyken English Laurel is a compact, spreading evergreen shrub with glossy, dark-green foliage and an attractive dense habit. Its leaves grow upward from the stems, giving this cultivar a distinctive look while keeping the plant lower and wider than traditional English Laurel.

Fragrant, creamy-white flower clusters appear in spring, followed by small red-to-purple-black berries in late summer and fall. ‘Otto Luyken’ is adaptable to sun or shade and works well for low hedges, foundation plantings, screening, and mass plantings.

• Common Names: Otto Luyken English Laurel, Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel, Otto Luyken’s Laurel, Versailles Laurel, English Laurel
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 6–9
• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade; tolerates shade
• Water Requirements: Moderate; tolerates some dry conditions once established
• Growth Rate: Rapid
• Mature Size: 3–4 ft tall × 6–8 ft wide; may eventually reach 6–10 ft tall in favorable conditions
• Bloom Time: April–May
• Bloom Color: Creamy white
• Foliage Type: Evergreen
• Foliage Color: Glossy dark green
• Fruit: Red to purple-black berries in late summer and fall
• Maintenance: Low; prune after flowering if needed. Hand pruning is preferred over shearing.
• Soil Preference: Moist, well-drained loam; adaptable to clay, sand, and alkaline soils
• Landscape Uses: Low hedges, foundation plantings, screens, mass plantings, woodland gardens, shade gardens
• Deer Resistance: Moderate to high
• Special Features: Fragrant flowers, shade tolerant, pollution tolerant, salt tolerant