The sweetly scented flowers of a Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica) overlook English Bay at Burrard Inlet in Vancouver.
Garden Chores for JUne
Jubilee Celebration, a David Austin rose.
Insects in the Veggie Garden - Harvesting and Planting - Fruits
It's Summer Break Out the Hose - Watering Tips - Dealing with Drought - June Pruning
June Roses - Taming Wisterias - June Lawn Care
June Introduction - June Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - June Garden Chores
June Garden Stars - Plant Police - Water Restrictions
June Flower Arrangement - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Portuguese Laurel
It's Summer Break Out the Hose - Watering Tips - Dealing with Drought - June Pruning
June Roses - Taming Wisterias - June Lawn Care
June Introduction - June Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - June Garden Chores
June Garden Stars - Plant Police - Water Restrictions
June Flower Arrangement - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Portuguese Laurel
An incredible climbing rose tops an arbour.
June Intro
I cannot take the credit of this pink creation that combines a Nelly Moser clematis with a foxglove. Yes, I planted the clematis, but the foxglove is a welcomed 'weed'.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
I always have visions of what my garden is going to look like when I plant out my bedding plants. Of course everything works out perfectly in my imagination. All the plants no matter what type they are, do what they are supposed to do and nothing dies – not one solitary plant. There are no slugs or snails devouring my new babies, there’s no aphids partying on flower buds and no caterpillars taking chunks out of tender foliage. Plants grow to the height and width that I expect; there’s no giants on steroids or cringing runts. All the colours work together like a Monet painting, not like obnoxiously coloured clown pants. But that’s not how gardening works, is it? It’s not just the gardener at play here, nature and climate have their say too. If gardening was a sure-fire thing, we wouldn’t rejoice so much when we see drop-dead gorgeous plants and gardens. It makes it all the more special when things do work out, even if I didn’t plan on it. Sometimes nature does her own magic by sowing her own seeds and coming up with her own plant combinations that are just the right size and colour. And when it doesn't, it's time to do some weeding. Since gardens are at the mercy of the weather, let’s hope we don’t get too much of anything. Rain would be nice, just enough so I don’t have to break out the garden hose. Early in the morning would be good too, just in time for the rising sun to evaporate the morning dew so I will have healthy disease free plants. But of course, that is not going to happen. Whatever the weather this summer, I hope you have lots of happy plants and a garden you enjoy. Cheers, Amanda 
A wayward bluebell (aren't they all?) puts on a brilliant display when partnered with a Japanese spirea.
Need Help?
Need help figuring what to do in your garden? Make an appointment for Amanda to come to your garden to show you the ropes by making an appointment here.
Learn How to Prune
What to prune now? How to prune? What tools to use? How far can a plant be cut back? All are great questions. Register here for Amanda to teach you all about pruning your plants in your garden at your convenience.
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Amanda's Garden Blog
It's summertime!
Calla lilies flower this month.
LANDSCAPERs WANTED!
Peace Garden Designs is a small, organic, environmentally-focused landscape gardening company operating in the Vancouver area looking for a seasonal full-timer, ideally with 2 years' experience or more. $20+ depending on experience. Please send your cover letter, resume (CV) and references. To learn more about us and see some of our past projects visit: peacegardendesigns.com.
Echeveria, a succulent hardy from zones 8 to 11, leaves are in the shape of a rosette.
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The pretty blue flowers of a Dalmation Bellflower, Campanula muralis, a herbaceous perennial, makes a floriferous ground cover.
June Garden Stars
Twist & Shout Hydrangea (H. macrophylla 'Twist & Shout'), deciduous shrub, part shade, 3' to 5' tall & wide. Zones 4 to 9.
Bear's breeches, Acanthus mollis, herbaceous perennial, 3’-5’ x 2-3’, blooms June to July, sun to part shade, thorns, attractive foliage. Zones 7 to 10.
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Astilbes, herbaceous perennials, 6in to 4ft, flowers in white, pinks, purples depending on variety. Most prefer partial shade to shady locations with moist soils. Zones 3 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
Rubidor weigela, Weigela florida 'Rubidor', deciduous shrub, 5' - 8' x 7'-9', sun. Zones 4 to 8.
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Lady's Mantle, Alchemilla mollis, herbaceous perennial, prefers moist shade, 12"-18" x 18"-2'. Zones 2 to 3.
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Red Hot Poker, Kniphofia uvaria, herbaceous perennial, 3'-4' x 2'-3', sun. Zones 5 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), semi-evergreen sub-shrub, scented leaves and flowers in June & July, full sun and dry soil, 1 to 3’, attracts bees, butterflies. Zones 5 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Patty's Purple hebe, H. buxifolia 'Patty's Purple', broadleaf evergreen shrub, sun, 2' -3' x 1 -2'. Zones 9 to 10.
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Aphrodite Sweetshrub, Calycanthus floridus 'Aphrodite', deciduous shrub, fragrant flowers in June & July, 5 – 8’ x 5 – 6’, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9.
Masterwort, Astrantia major, herbaceous perennial, partial shade, moist soil 1’-2’ x 1’-1.5’. Zones 4 to 7.
Blue globe thistle, Echinops bannaticus, herbaceous perennial, 2-4’ x 1–2’, flowers June to August, sun, dry soil, prickly. Zones 3 to 8.
Styrax japonicus, Japanese snowbell, deciduous tree, 20’ to 30’ x 20’, fragrant white blossoms May to June, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9
Japanese Stewartia, Stewartia pseudocamellia, deciduous tree, 20 - 40' tall, 10 - 25' wide, sun to part shade, attractive bark, white camellia-like flowers June to July. Zones 5-8. Click on the pic for more.
'Royal Purple' smokebush, Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', deciduous shrub, purple summer foliage & flowers, fall colour, 10-15’ x 15’- 20’. Sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 8
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Japanese spirea, Spiraea japonica, deciduous shrub, 3-4’ tall and wide, sun, light shade, pink flowers in summer to fall, yellow fall foliage, butterflies. Zones 4 to 9.
Mandarin honeysuckle, Lonicera x 'Mandarin', deciduous vine, 12 – 15’ x 4 -6’, sun to shade, orange blooms in June, July, hummingbirds. Zones 4 to 9.
Oriental poppy, Papaver orientale, herbaceous perennial, 15” – 3’ x 1’ -2’, sun. Zones 3 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
Mont Rose Deutzia, D. x hybrida 'Mont Rose', deciduous shrub, 3 to 4 ft tall & wide, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8.
Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia, broadleaf evergreen, 5’ to 15’ height & width, May, June flowers, part shade, moist acid soil & mulch. Zones 4 to 9.
‘Black Lace’ elderberry , Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’, deciduous shrub, 6’-8’ x 6’, fragrant white blooms June, July, glossy black edible berries, sun to part shade, butterflies, birds. Zones 4 to 7.
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JUne PLANT COMBO
Plants for a sunny border combine blue and pink perennials.
This floriferous border contains sun loving perennials. In the foreground, the white flowering ground cover Snow-on-the-Mountain (Cerastium tomentosum). Above it the purple spiked flowers that resemble lupins, are blue false indigo (Baptisia australis). To the right of the false indigo are the deep blue flowers of a Siberian iris (Iris sibirica). To its right the pink star-shaped blossoms belong to the vine of a 'Pink Champagne' clematis. The remaining plant with the large pink and white cup shaped are 'Bowl of Beauty' peonies.
Watering Restrictions Continue
Note that watering restrictions differ from lawns and gardens.
For Metro Vancouver, B.C.
Water restrictions start May 1 and end October 15. If you don’t live in Metro Vancouver, contact your local municipality for their watering restrictions. Residential lawn watering schedule:
Lawns: Non-residential (businesses):
plant police
English ivy has run amok! Although it does have an attractive quality with all the lush green foliage, the plants underneath it aren't too happy. English ivy is not parasitic, meaning it doesn't feed on the plants it hangs onto, however, it block light and air. Plant parts that are smothered cannot photosynthesize and will end up dying back.
The ivies stems form roots as they clamber up their support, which makes them difficult to remove, but they gotta go. The roots don't act as regular roots, but they do cling on. The best way to deal with this is to cut off the stems at their base, or as low as you can go. Pull their cut stems of the other plants as much as you can and eventually the remaining stems will die. It's summer, break out the hose!
It is untrue that plants don't need supplemental water during the summer.
If it’s not already hot and dry, it soon will be. It's summer, and plants have a tough time, especially when they are forgotten and abandoned. It's so sad. Summer's heat and long daylight hours, make plants work overtime. They need water, it's plain and simple. This includes trees, shrubs, perennials, bedding plants, herbs and veggies. Even with watering restrictions, garden plants are allowed to be watered, so check with your municipality for exemptions and for more information.
Why Water?
In this beautiful garden, the many plants shade the mulched soil to reduce soil evaporation.
Insects love weak plants. Unhappy plants emit stress hormones, and its these hormones that predatory insects detect. t’s the way nature culls the herd, so to speak.
Other problems associated with lack of water are disease, especially powdery mildew. Flowers are fewer, smaller and drop off prematurely. Taste and nutritious are compromised too, hence bland tasting tomatoes. 
Adequate water means that tomatoes and other garden produce will be tasty.
How To Reduce The Need to Water
A straw mulch on a veggie bed keeps plants happy and reduces weeds.
Efficient Watering Tips
Make watering easier with a timer attached to a faucet with numerous ports.
Drought Gardening
Hydrangeas are thirsty plants and would benefit from an organic mulch instead of this rock mulch.
Did you know that you can reduce your watering with a few proven techniques? There are ways to staunch the effects of drought and it’s not about growing in rock mulch and drip irrigation. To learn effective methods of drought gardening click here.
Lawn Care for JUne
A comparison of two lawns with difference maintenance. The greener grass has been mowed at 3 inches and more frequently than the paler lawn. It was cut too short and infrequently.
Summer is usually when our northern grasses start to have issues. They dislike the heat and the accompanying drought. Growth slows significantly and they lack the gusto they had in spring. Without proper care the grass starts to die out and weeds fill the voids. Lawn grubs take advantage of the weakened lawn and lay their eggs.
So how do you keep the grass strong during the summer? The two most important things are to water adequately and don’t cut the grass too short! Provide lawns with at least one inch of water a week. This stops the roots and crown from dying. Raising the lawnmower to 3 to 3.5 inches to prevent insects from depositing their eggs. The longer grass also shades the soil from the hot sun, and provides more food. Yellow Lawn? Fertilize with a slow release, preferably organic lawn food with the first number highest (9-2-2). For more on fertilizing lawns click here. Click on the following links for more information. Lawns: What Not to Do
Keep lawns healthy by changing your maintenance practices.
Avoid lawn grubs by watering and raising the height of your lawn mower.
Insects in the Veggie Garden
These green pellets are droppings from the cabbage white caterpillar. Flush them off with soapy water.
Caterpillars: Symptoms of caterpillar damage is ragged leaves with chunks taken out of them and ones that are tightly rolled like a tube. Green, brown or black droppings on the plant and ground are other signs that caterpillars have infested your plants. These eating machines quickly devour plants, oftentimes leaving only the leaf veins. To control, handpick, spray with soap, or use bacillus thuringiensis (Bt, thuricide), a bacteriacide that only kills caterpillars.
Earwigs: Create a trap for them by mixing 1 part soy sauce with 1 part olive oil in a small plastic lidded tub. Make 3 or 4 holes an inch from the rim around the container large enough for the earwigs to enter. Bury the container, just up to the holes. Check every few days and discard any victims and replace the solution when necessary. 
Corn Earworms: To prevent corn earworms from eating the tasty corn kernels, use mineral oil. Within a week of when the cobs develop, place a couple drops on the silks of each corn cob.
Tomatoes
Remove suckers that form where stems join.
Harvest & Plant
Once you've harvested lettuce use that space to plant beans or another summer crop.
Replace Cool Season & Failed Crops: Once spinach, lettuce, pac choy and other cool season plants have bolted (produced flowers), remove them and replant with onion, peppers, tomatoes, basil, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and cucumber. Visit garden centres for veggie starters if you don’t want to sow seeds.
More Harvests: For continuous and prolonged harvests, sow seeds of the same crop such as beans every 2 weeks. To earn more about successive gardening click here. Harvest: Don’t forget to harvest all your delicious produce. Check daily as they ripen quickly. For more on harvesting click here. Potatoes: To protect potatoes from turning green and to get more spuds, hill soil around the growing stems and over the base of the plants. Harvest ‘new’ potatoes when they flower. Either harvest the entire plant or use your hand to pluck out a few. For more on spuds click here. Chives: Once they finish flowering (their individual flowers are great to add to salads and make good cut flowers), cut the plant back, but save their tasty leaves. Soon there will be another crop of foliage to take its place. Water after cutting back to encourage new growth. For more on growing vegetables organically click on the following links: Growing Food - Crop Rotation, Crop Succession & Companion Planting - Harvesting 
Rhubarb & Asparagus: Stop harvesting this month as they need to build up reserves for next years’ crop.
Cauliflowers: As cauliflower heads form, fold the leaves over the heads to keep them white.
To harvest broccoli, just cut off the head, but leave the rest of the plant. Smaller broccoli heads will form along the remaining stem.
Fruits
You'll get bigger and healthier fruit if you thin them.
Fruit Thinning: Inspect fruit trees after they abort their excess fruit during ‘June Drop’ and thin any overcrowded fruit clusters so fruits don’t touch. Remove any deformed ones and runts.
Protect Fruit: Cover fruits with netting to protect them from birds. Wrap melons and other individual fruit with pantyhose. For those grown on the ground (not on trellises), also place them on top of upturned pots. Raspberries and Cane Fruit: Stake the new canes of raspberries, blackberries and other cane fruit. Cover ripening berries with row covers or nets to protect them from animals. Wilting raspberry canes may not be due to drought, but raspberry cane borers. Cut back the wilted canes at least 6 inches past where the wilting has stopped. Inspect the cut off portion of the stem for a wee bug inside cut off stem and discard it. 
Grapes: Too many grape clusters produce teeny weeny grapes. Prune off every other cluster or more for fewer clusters and larger grapes. For more on pruning grapes click here.
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June Garden ChoresPlease note that coloured text are linked to another page on this website or another website. Most of the pictures are also linked and will redirect you if you click on them.
Thank goodness, it's strawberry season!
Take a tour: A daily walk in the garden is good excuse to get some fresh air and tour your domain, no matter how big or small it is. It doesn’t take long for slugs to devour entire plants, or plants to die of thirst, and weeds to crowd out desirable plants.
Water: Check your garden for any thirsty plants. Water deeply and thoroughly to avoid shallow roots. If in doubt, dig down with a trowel or shovel and have a look to see how far the water has soaked in. Stake Plants: Peonies, delphiniums, garden phlox, oriental poppies and other tall and top heavy flower laden plants will collapse if they are not supported adequately. Continue staking as plants grow. Plant Bedding & Veggie Plants: Keep planting petunias and other bedding plants. Water regularly to help them become established. 
Sweet Williams are a biennial that self-seed.
Sow Biennial Seeds: Sow wallflowers, foxgloves, honesty, hollyhocks and other biennials, inside in pots or outside in an area where they receive shade in the afternoon. Keep soil moist until seed germinate, which may mean watering gently a few times a day on hot days. Follow the instructions on the seed packets for seed spacing, planting depth and other pertinent information. Click on the following links for more: Sowing Seeds Outdoors, Sowing Seeds Indoors.
Heel cuttings are an easy way to propagate shrubs and trees.
Cuttings: Take softwood cuttings from non-flowering stems from deciduous shrubs and trees, perennials, climbers, and woody herbs. Take cuttings in the morning as they are full of moisture. For more detail click here.
A tree peony seed head should be removed no matter how awesome it is.
Deadhead: Remove the spent flowers from tree peonies, garden peonies, lilacs, rhododendrons and spring flowering perennials such as lungworts (Pulmonaria), iris, hellebores, violets, oriental lilies, cranesbill geraniums, bergenia and anything else that has formed a seed head. Deadheading allows the plant to spend its energy on the plant and not creating seeds so volunteers don’t pop up everywhere. Plants also look better once they’ve been cleaned up.
Boulevard & Street Trees: Don't forget to water city trees on and around your property. Watering bags are available at most municipalities or look for them in hardware stores and garden centres.
Slugs & Snails: If you don’t know what’s eating your bedding plants, veggies and perennials, inspect them in the morning, at dusk and after it rains. Click on Slugs & Snails for numerous control methods.
Heather: Once heathers finishes flowering cut it back to keep plants compact. Don’t cut back too far and not into the woody growth, as stems won’t regrow. For more on heathers click here. 
Peony & Ants: Ants on your peonies? Not to worry; they do no harm. The ants protect the flowers from harmful insects and in return, the peonies allow the ants to feed on their nectar.
Spring Bulbs: Remove spent blossoms, but keep their foliage until it turns yellow, then cut them off or dig them up. Store the bulbs by placing them in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Dust generously with cinnamon to prevent fungi and disease. Store in a dark dry area until fall, when you can replant them. If you don't want to wait until their leaves turn yellow, dig them up being careful not to detach their stems from the bulbs. If you don’t want to dig them up, plant other plants around them to hide the withering foliage.
Keep an eye on planters as they dry out quickly during the summer.
Summer Planters: Pot up some planters for summer if you haven't already done so. For those already planted, inspect them daily to make sure they are receiving adequate water. Ones exposed to afternoon sun and those crammed with plants will dry out quickly. To help with the watering, place a drainage tray under each pot to collect and hold the water. Wet the soil thoroughly so it drains in the tray below. Discard any remaining water after 30 minutes.
Planters often need watering daily during the summer.
Hanging baskets, especially moss types, dry out quickly and at least need daily watering. For a thorough soaking and to perk up overly dry plants, dunk the basket in a bucket of water until it stops bubbling. For more on growing in containers click here.
Pull up buttercups and their runners.
Weed: Buttercups and other creepers spread far and wide, while dandelions and other tap rooted plants delve into unknown depths. Pick a day when the ground is damp or after watering as they are easier to remove. For lawn weeds, mow down their flower heads before they go to seed.
Stop Weeds on Garden Beds! To prevent weeds from re-growing, lay 3 inches of an organic mulch on top of the soil and around plants. Don't use landscape fabric as it defeats the benefits of using mulch. And don't dig the mulch into the soil, just lay it on the ground. For more on mulch click here. 
Fill in any areas in your garden beds that are bare or are in need of a dash of colour. The easiest way to do this is to go to your local nursery and look for a suitable plant or plants. Another simple option is to fill the gap with a decorative planter full of flowers.
Compost: The more you add to the pile and turn it, the sooner all your kitchen scraps become compost. Add water when necessary as moisture helps with the decomposing process. Pile too wet? Add strips of newspaper or dried leaves. Don’t add meat products, dairy, fat or any cooked food. For more on composting click here.
Snip off dusty miller flowers as soon as they form to increase their longevity.
Coleus and Dusty Miller: Remove their flower as soon as they form to increase bushiness, prolong their life and to keep them more compact.
English Bluebells: To stop seeds from popping up everywhere, remove their flower stalks just after flowering. 
Be attentive to houseplants as summer sun is intense.
Houseplants - Inside: Sad houseplants that need daily watering have probably out grown their pots. If so, repot into a container just one or two size larger. Use fresh potting soil and place in a bright location, away from direct sun, for a couple of days. Once they perk up return them to their previous spot.
Since the sun is back in town check houseplants that maybe receiving too much light from a south or west facing window. If it is too sunny, leaves will turn brown and crispy with pale and stunted growth. Just move them further away from the window for the time being until summer’s end. 
Wilting Plants: Protect newly planted plants from the hot sun by shading them with burlap, a tarp or a tablecloth.
Pruning
Shrubs: Once shrubs have finished flowering it's fine to cut them back by one third. Not all need a haircut, however do prune those that are spindly and ones that are infringing on other plants. Don't just shear off their tops, as they also need to be thinned. The best way to do it is to get down on your hands and knees and remove all dead growth from inside the plant. Prune out at their base, any diseased, broken, weak and branches that cross. This method is essential to helps shrubs look their best and prolongs their life. The best time to thin most shrubs is right after flowering.
Trees: Remove dead branches, broken ones, diseased growth and suckers. Cut off suckers that arise from the base of the tree and tree trunk. Remove any watersprouts that grow along stem branches. When removing suckers and watersprouts, cut them off flush with the stem and/or roots. For more on pruning click here. 
Evergreens: Prune or shear your cedar hedges and other conifers when the new growth turns a dark green.
Roses In June
Once all the petals fall, remove entire flower clusters to encourage more blossoms. 'Dortmund' a climbing rose is pictured.
Roses are stars of the garden this month as they are in full flowering mode. Since they are donning their blossoms, they benefit from some special care. But before we get into that, make sure they are in the right place. They should receive 6 hours of direct sun per day and they need organically rich, moist soil. They love a clay loam so if you have impenetrable clay soil, mix in lots and lots of compost, SeaSoil and/or composted manure and plant some roses!
When any plant that flowers, think of them as being ‘pregnant’. It takes lots of energy and resources to produce a flower. Notice that when plants are in full flower, they are not producing mulch else. So when blossoms emerge, make sure they are not thirsty or hungry. Pay attention to ones grown in pots as they tend to suffer most from being confined to a planter. Once the flowers fade, don’t wait to deadhead. The sooner the better, as they will pump out some new blossoms asap. Avoid just taking off the flowers or petals. Instead cut the stem back to a leaf that has 5 or more leaflets. Look for one that faces away from the centre of the shrub. After each flush of blooms, give plants a drink and some food. Fertilize with compost, well-rotted manure or an organic fertilizer. If you haven’t provided a mulch for your roses, do so. They love a good mulch. Add 3 inches of recycled wood chips. Place it on top of the soil around their stems, but don’t cover their canes. Click on Mulches and Mulching for more info. Climbing Roses: Their long supple canes don't have the ability of clinging to a support so they must be tied as they grow. If possible tie them so they grow horizontally to encourage more flowers. Click on the following links for more on roses. Roses - Types of Roses - Easy Roses - Climbing Roses - Portland's Rose Test Garden - Rose Insects & Diseases - Pruning Roses - Rose Sawfly - Rose Bloom Balling
Taming Wisteria
Oh, it looks tame now, but once those flowers fall, it grows like crazy.
Tame wisteria vines and prompt more flowers by pruning all side shoots to a few buds. The remaining stem should only be 4 to 6 inches long. Flowering spurs should develop in a year or two. Repeat this process again in winter to continue to tame the beast and produce more flowers.
To keep wisterias in check and to promote more flowers, cut the side shoots back.
Birds & Butterflies
Butterfly Feeding Station
Make your garden a butterfly destination with an offering of food. Place sliced oranges, overripe bananas and other mushy fruit in a shallow dish on a stand or tree stump placed in a shady spot. Nestle it among their favorite flowers: butterfly bush (Buddleia), milkweed (Asclepia), stonecrop (Sedum), beebalm (Monarda), Baptisia, creeping phlox, sunflowers, Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium), Shasta daisies, coneflowers, verbena, lantanas, salvias and asters. 
Whether you feed birds or not, providing them with a source of water during the summer is a lifesaver. If you are feeding the birds, including hummingbirds, keep feeders clean and well stocked.
June's Flower Arrangement
A pink and blue arrangement feature June flowers.
June flowers include peonies, daphne, SIberian iris and foxgloves. Click here for the Monthly Arrangements Page and for to identify the plants in the above arrangement.
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June's Plant of the month
Portuguese Laurel
Prunus lusitanica
Portuguese laurels steal the show at the shores of Jericho Beach in Vancouver.
If you prune Portuguese laurels before they flower, you will be missing out on these gorgeous fragrant blossoms.
Glossy deep leaves are evergreen with undulating margins and red stems.
Small white fragrant flowers have five petals and many stamens.
These stately plants bark is smooth and shiny, especially when wet.
Flowers are held on racemes and rise above the foliage.
Flowers are visited by many pollinators.
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Common Name: Portuguese Cherry Laurel, Portugal Laurel
Botanical Name: Prunus lusitanica Form: large shrub or small tree with a round dense canopy Family: Rosaceae Genus: Prunus Species: lusitanica Plant Type: broadleaf evergreen Mature Size: 10’– 20’ x 15’ – 20’ Growth: fast Origin: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Canary Islands Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9 Foliage: oval, glossy, dark green, 5 inch long leathery with wavy margins and bright red distinctive stems (petioles) Flowers: fragrant, tiny white flowers with 5 petals on 6 to 10 inch spikes (racemes) Fruit: small greenish red berries (drupes) that mature to a dark purplish-black in late summer and early autumn Stems: dark brown and smooth Exposure: full sun to part shade Soil: soil tolerant, prefers moist well-drained but will grow in alkaline and chalky soils Uses: specimen plant, hedge, screen, garden border, small tree, container gardening, birds, bees, butterflies Propagation: softwood cuttings in early summer Pruning: After flowering if grown as a specimen, tree etc., but if grown as a hedge, prune in May before flowers emerge. Problems: vine weevils, leaf minors, berries and foliage are harmful if ingested Awards: Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society Comments: Portuguese laurels are suitable for most gardens. They can be trimmed to any size, are multipurpose, bear pretty fragrant flowers, don’t mind some shade, are tolerant to many types of soils, attract pollinators and are deer resistant. This attractive deep green, glossy-leaved broadleaf evergreen is coveted by landscapers not just for its beauty, but for its versatility. Portuguese laurels can be grown in most soils from sandy, clay and alkaline, however it must be moist, not soggy. Its dense branching habit and round crown is perfect when grown as a tree, shrub, hedge or screen. When grown as a hedge or screen, don’t plant them too close together as their canopies are quite broad and dense. It’s best to plant them at least 4 feet apart. Portuguese laurel is a tidy plant that’s easy to maintain and prune. Unlike its big leafed relative, the English or cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), its foliage is small so it doesn’t look tattered and torn when sheared. Although English laurels are often used as formal hedges and screens, the Portuguese laurel is a much better option. Although they don’t grow as fast as English laurels, they still grow pretty fast. They are also more tolerant of sun, heat, wind and drought. Portuguese laurels are often used as topiaries as they can be trimmed to any height or shape. However, with that said, when left to grow as nature intended, their flowers are quite impressive, are fragrant and pollinators love them. Their blossoms consist of small white flowers that grow along long stems (racemes), which rise with grace above the foliage. One of the distinguishing features of Portugal laurel’s is the rhubarb-red leaf stems (petioles). They contrast nicely with the patent-leather shiny green foliage that stays on throughout the year, even when covered with snow. So no matter what time of year it is, this broadleaf evergreen provides colour, form and structure with every season. Butterflies: It is a larval host plant to the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail so don’t spray if you see caterpillars feasting on them. Invasive? Compared to the English laurel, the Portuguese laurel is well-behaved, however, it is considered to be invasive in Washington and Oregon. It is spread by the birds who feed on the black berries and defecate the seeds during flight. Toxic? Their leaves contain cyanide so they should not be burned or crushed. And don’t eat the berries, leave them to the birds, as they are also toxic. 
A grouping of Portuguese laurel has been trimmed of its lower branches to create a forest of trees.
Flowers are so profuse, foliage is barely visible.
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A multiple planting at VanDusen Botanical Garden, mimics a small forest and provides an attractive screen.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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