Of all the laurels used for hedges and privacy screens, Portuguese laurel is an all-time favorite. They have all the benefits of English laurel varieties, but what makes them unique is their striking red stems that contrast perfectly with the narrow, dark green leaves. They are also more heat tolerant than their English cousins.

As an extra bonus, they produce clusters of fluffy, fragrant, white flowers in late spring, and black berries for the birds in fall. Maybe the best part of all… they are remarkably deer resistant! We see them planted in Jacksonville, untouched, next to deer ravaged English laurel.

In general, laurels grow fast, have a dense branching habit, are shade and sun tolerant, and have large glossy green leaves that respond well to being trimmed. Consistently trimming laurel hedges encourages new bushier growth. If you are going for a more natural-looking hedge, just trim it less often. Maintaining Portuguese laurel to your desired height and depth is easy to do once you get the hang of it. They can grow anywhere from 18-24” each year, and if not maintained, they can reach 18-20’ tall and 10-15’ wide, or larger. They can easily be kept in the 8-10' range with pruning.

Portuguese laurels prefer well-draining soil and do well in full sun to part shade. They become moderately drought tolerant once the root system is established.

Be sure to take a look at the Watering Guidelines for the Rogue Valley and Tree Planting Guide resources available on our website.

Shooting Star Garden Tour 2015!  Our friend Tracy suggested we go on a tour of some gardens that she and her company- Sage Hill Landscape had designed and installed using some of our plants.  We thought that sounded like a great idea!  We don't get out much and it would be such a good learning opportunity to see how our plants were doing outside of their little nursery environment. As well as what plants were winning the fight against deer, heavy clay soils, drought, and a hot summer.  First off, we were all stunned by this Chilopsis 'Bubba' pictured behind Erik.  It was huge and covered in burgundy flowers.  In the foreground are Salvia 'Caradonna' and Stachys byzantina (or Lambs Ear). 

First off, let's say what a great job our designer, Bonni Criswell, did on this landscape design.  We were truly impressed with the beautiful combos and textures she created of silvers, blues, purples, and whites.  This client is nearby the nursery on Old Stage Road and the garden was planted in April of 2014.  So this was it's second summer when we visited and it looked filled in and thriving.   The client needed drought tolerant, deer resistant, and all season interest plants and Bonni delivered.

Dwarf conifers were requested by this client so this combo includes a Papoose Sitka Spruce, Nepeta 'Walker's Low' and the ornamental grass Panicum 'Northwind'.

More fun combos!  On the left:  Panicum 'Northwind' with Agastache 'Heatwave' and Salvia 'Heatwave Glimmer'.

On the right:  Salvia 'Caradonna' (purple blooms) and Feijoa sellowiana (Pineapple Guava) with Picea Globosa, and Salvia x 'Heatwave Glimmer' (creamy white blooms).  Evergreen textures mingle with early summer and late summer blooming perennials so you'll never be bored.

Does your Escallonia look like this?

Or your Rosemary like this?

The record cold spell we had this winter really made us realize what is truly hardy here.  We don't know about you, but we got to one degree a couple nights in a row.  That is cold.  That is the coldest we have ever been since we moved here in 2004. That is cold that may be here more regularly as global warming has its effect of erratic weather.  The cold we had was also fairly dry and long lasting which caused even more damage since the plant basically becomes dessicated.  So we are not USDA Zone 8; even Zone 7 seems a stretch these days.  But we are here to help!  

There are still alternatives that can be cold hardy and even deer resistant.  We will be answering questions I'm sure all spring about what plants need to come out and what their replacements can be.  We will be covering them in many of our upcoming spring classes.   Such as 'I Just Moved Here- What do I Plant?' and 'Deer Resistant Plants for the Rogue Valley'.

But here are a few quick suggestion I came up with while working with Bill Bumgardner of Bumgardner's Landscape . Thanks for the photos Bill!

The Escallonia's definitely got hit the hardest. There is not much hope of any of them coming back.  Same with the Viburnum 'Spring Bouquet' and Choisya ternata.  Time will tell on some others like English Laurel and Privet.  They can drop leaves and push new ones in spring.  So scratch a twig and if there is green underneath that stem is still viable.  But there are alternatives; here is a quick list, and I know there will be more to offer as the season progresses, so come visit regularly!  Check in with the deer resistant list for reference as well.  What did you have success or failures with?  We'd love to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Shooting Star Nursery's cold hardy recommendations for evergreens for sun:

Arbutus unedo 'Compacta' (most of these have had superficial damage, although if they went through zero degrees they did not make it)

Prunus 'Otto Luyken'

Choisya 'Aztec Pearl' (came through beautifully)

Ilex 'Blue Girl'

Elaeagnus 'Gilt Edge', seemed to do better than plain silver

Mahonia repens

Pinus mugo pumilo

Evergreen Berberis varieties (may show some damage but should leaf out)

Osmanthus h. Rotundifolius (looks great)

Arctostaphylos 'Howard Mcminn'- seems to have the least damage out of the hybrid Manzanitas

Prunus lusitanica- Portugeuse Laurel

Prunus lauro. 'Skip'- Skip Laurel- did better than straight English Laurel

Shooting Star Nursery's cold hardy recommendations for evergreens for shade:

Pieris

Rhododendron (most varieties)

Daphne

Ilex 'Blue Girl'

Mahonia aquifolium

Sarcococca ruscifolia

Arbutus unedo 'Compacta' (part shade)

Choisya 'Aztec Pearl' (part shade)

Osmanthus h. Rotundifolius (part shade)