Which type of laurel stays compact?

Laurel (or, more accurately, cherry laurel) is a very beautiful evergreen hedge plant.

The cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) has large, dark green, glossy leaves and attractive dark branches.

As long as this hedge plant isn't too wet in the winter, the cherry laurel is usually quite hardy.

There is, however, one drawback: Laurier grows quite tall and wide. It can quickly reach a diameter of a meter or more. This isn't always ideal for small gardens.

Luckily, there's also a narrower version!

Caucasian laurel

Prunus laurocerasus ‘Caucasisca’ is the name of this narrower variety. Its leaves are a slightly darker green and narrower. This variety can also be kept more compact overall, and the Caucasisca grows slightly more slowly than, for example, the Rotundifolia (the most commonly planted laurel).

There are other cultivars of the cherry laurel that can be kept smaller. These include, for example, Prunus laurocerasus ‘Etna,’ ‘Elly,’ and ‘Genolia.’ These are what are known as licensed varieties.

Portuguese bay leaf

There is also the Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica). This is not the same species as the cherry laurel, but it does resemble it somewhat. However, the leaves are much narrower and smaller, and the plant naturally grows in a pyramidal shape. This hedge plant is very easy to keep narrow. The downsides of the Portuguese laurel are that it’s often quite expensive to purchase and isn’t fully hardy.