Growing Thuja Can Can Trees

Instead of growing 30 to 50 feet tall, Thuja Can Can grows just 8 to 10 feet tall, and because it grows more slowly, it makes an informal hedge that needs no trimming, or a formal, very neat one with just one or two trims a year. It naturally reaches the perfect height for a hedge in a smaller garden, and will never outgrow the space you have available. It is also pest and disease free, and even deer resistant, so those pesky animals will leave it alone. It grows well in most soils, and it is very suitable for damp or wet locations.

Not only does this plant have reliable, rich-green foliage in winter and summer, it never browns in winter. The tips of the stems are creamy-white, giving a bright, sparkling look to this plant. These tips show most on new growth, so after you clip your plants it will be covered in this fascinating feature, which persists all through winter. They brighten your hedge or screen, looking much more attractive than the usual dark green color of evergreens.

Uses on Your Property

Besides hedges, this attractive upright evergreen tree also makes a great, easy-care specimen for a bed, or paired on either side of an entrance. Because it is small, it can even be grown for years and years in a large pot or planter, and looks wonderful on a terrace or patio. In a larger garden, this is the ideal plant to screen your swimming pool or hot tub. Wherever you need a reliable, smaller evergreen plant that needs no work, then the Thuja Can Can is your number one choice.

The Thuja Can Can naturally forms an attractive, broad evergreen, reaching 8 feet tall in about 10 years, and 3 to 5 feet wide. Because it is wide, you only need to plant 4 feet apart to make a dense hedge, so you do not need many plants for a long hedge around your property. Its attractive broad form also makes it a great plant to fill corners of the garden with a plant that needs no care, and will never grow too large.

Soil Conditions and Sun Exposure

This plant grows well in any ordinary garden soil, and thrives even in damp to wet soils where many other plants will not grow. It grows well in full sun or partial shade, unlike many other evergreens, which will not grow in shadier spots in your garden. It is also free of significant pests and diseases, and best of all, it is normally not eaten by deer.

History and Origins of the Thuja Can Can

The Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) is a relative of white cedar, as well as other Arborvitae and Thuja plants from around the world. Western Red Cedar grows naturally in Oregon, Washington state, and in Canada. It grows into a large tree, well over 100 feet tall, with some ancient specimens approaching 200 feet. This is a tough plant that will grow in wet soils, and shadier places, and it is widely grown around the world. It is also one of the parents of the famous Thuja Green Giant, known for its rapid growth and a favorite for large hedges. The Thuja Can Can has been specially selected to have all the good properties of Western Red Cedar, but to remain small, making it ideal for smaller spaces and smaller gardens. It was found at Blue Mountain Nurseries, in the far south of the islands of New Zealand, and brought to America about 20 years ago.

Buying Thuja Can Cans at The Tree Center

The Thuja Can Can is a very desirable plant, and so hard to find. After considerable searching to make this great plant available to our customers, we have found a top-quality supplier of plants derived directly from the original parent plant. These plants have all the desirable properties – low height, dense, rich-green foliage, and those attractive white tips – and are completely unlike the wild tree, which is far too large for most gardens. Do not be fooled into buying cheaper plants just called ‘Red Cedar’, as these will grow enormous, completely unlike the wonderful dwarf Thuja Can Can.

This tree is a top-quality smaller evergreen, and it is ideal for smaller gardens as a hedge that only needs an occasional trimming. We know how high the demand is for this new plant, and we have a good supply. However, these plants sell fast, so if you have a smaller garden, and want a hedge, or an attractive specimen evergreen, then order now to avoid the disappointment of seeing the ‘sold out’ sign when you come back to our site.

Where it really wins out is in producing fruit all by itself. Almost all other hollies have separate male and female trees, and a male tree is needed for females to produce berries. Not the Oak Leaf Holly. It has ‘perfect’ flowers, so it can pollinate itself. This means that if you only have room for one holly bush, this is the one to go for. Its bold, upright pyramidal shape make it a great choice as a specimen, or planted in a row as a screen. It can be grouped together to make handsome background plantings, and it even grows well in large containers, where it will still produce a great crop of berries. For grouping or as a hedge or screen, space the trees 8 to 10 feet apart.

Because it is self-pollinating, just one tree will be covered all winter with big clusters of bright orange-red berries – perfect for cutting for wreathes and decoration during the holiday season, or for leaving on the bush to brighten the winter garden. As well, if you have other female holly bushes that don’t have berries, the Oak Leaf Holly will pollinate them too, and suddenly all your holly bushes will be full of bright berries (as long as they are female varieties of course.)

Growing Oak Leaf Holly Trees

With its rich, emerald-green leaves, the Oak Leaf Holly is beautiful all year round. In spring the new leaves have a maroon edge to them, and the whole leaf may be suffused with a maroon glow. This soon turns to a rich, deep green, that last all through the summer and winter. After the first flush of growth, you can trim your bush to make it denser, or to develop a more formal, upright shape. It can be trimmed again in late summer, and a new flush of growth will fill out, giving your tree an attractive look for the winter months.

The leaves are up to 3 ½ inches long, and they have 3 to 5 sets of spines along the sides, and 3 spines at the end, with one tipping the leaf. The leaves have an attractive slightly mat look, rather than the high-gloss seen on many holly bushes. In spring, you will see clusters of small white flowers, and as the season progresses these develop into large orange-red berries. The berries are over ¼ inch in diameter, and they are in clusters of up to 15 berries. Trees normally produce a big crop of these attractive fruits, which decorate the plants for months, and are eventually eaten by birds.

Hardiness, Soil Conditions, and Watering

The Oak Leaf Holly is a tough, hybrid tree that will grow in almost any kind of soil, from moist soils to dry ones, and from sandy soils to heavy clay. There is hardly a soil this tree will not grow in, so if you have tough soil, it is up to the challenge. Of course, during the first year or two you will need to water regularly, especially if you have sandy soils, or during dry spells. Once your trees are established however, they will tolerate drought, and thrive with no attention from you. It has no particular pests or diseases, and it is hardy to at least zone 7, and possibly even colder conditions. It will also grow well in zones 8 and 9.

History and Origins of the Oak Leaf Holly

A seedling from a batch of holly seeds was the origin of the Oak Leaf Holly. It was found by Jack Magee in 1989. growing at the Evergreen Nursery, Poplarville, in Mississippi. The seeds had come naturally from a hybrid holly called `Mary Nell`, which is a mixture of three holly species. The lusterleaf holly (Ilex latifolia) was one parent and the other was an unnamed hybrid between the Burford holly (Ilex cornuta ‘Burfordii’) and the Red Delight perny holly (Ilex pernyi ‘Red Delight’). With three different holly species contributing, the Oak Leaf Holly has lots of good genes, making it vigorous and fast-growing – as much as 24 inches in a single year.

Growing Green Arrow Alaskan Cedar Trees

The Weeping Alaskan Cedar is an evergreen tree that will grow steadily, first to 10 feet, then to 20, and eventually to 30 feet tall and possibly more. It will do this within the width of just a few feet, making it ideal for a narrow space or a smaller garden, as well as a being a great feature in a larger one. While the main trunk is shooting upwards, the side branches are cascading downwards. Over time the lowest side-branches will spread outwards to form a wider base, up to 10 feet across.

This broader base accentuates the narrow upper growth even more, looking like a powerful rocket-ship. If that is too wide for the space you have, then it is very easy to prune some of these lower side branches away when they are young, keeping a much narrower base to your tree. The foliage is a beautiful rich blue-green, and retains its gorgeous color throughout the winter.

Hardiness

As might be expected, since it has ‘Alaska’ in the name, this is a very hardy tree, thriving in zone 4, with winter lows around minus 30, and reported to grow well even in zone 3, with minus 40 temperatures. It also grows well in much warmer areas, all the way into the cooler parts of zone 8. So almost everywhere, you can enjoy this spectacular tree with no problems.

Soil Conditions and Sun Exposure

It grows well in all kinds of soil, except for wet ones, and once established it is has moderate to good drought resistance, so within a few years of planting, your Weeping Alaskan Cedar will be taking care of itself, with no input from you needed at all. It grows well in sun or partial shade, and in zone 8 it will benefit from some afternoon shade, especially when young.

Care and Maintenance

It has no significant pests or diseases, and despite its dramatic and exotic appearance, this is a very easy plant to grow in almost any garden. It will grow around 12 inches a year, reaching at least 10 feet tall and 2 feet wide in 10 years. If any side-shoots are seen growing upwards, cut these off, right at the main stem, while they are still young.

History and Origins of the Green Arrow Alaskan Cedar

The Alaskan cedar, also called yellow cedar and Nootka cypress, is a tree that grows wild in a long strip along the west coast, from southern Alaska, through British Columbia and down as far as the northern tip of California. In the north, it grows right down to sea-level and it is found higher and higher in the mountains as it spreads southwards. It is currently most correctly called Cupressus nootkatensis, but it is still often seen as Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, and also as Xanthocyparis nootkatensis. This plant and its relatives have had a lot of DNA analysis in recent years, and Cupressus is almost certainly the correct and final name that should be used.

There are several different weeping forms of this tree, but ‘Green Arrow’ is considered to be among the best. It has an interesting history. Gordon Bentham was an enthusiastic collector of rare and unusual conifers, who earned his living as a butcher at a supermarket in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He loved to trek through the forests looking for unusual pieces on wild trees, and one day he discovered a weeping branch on an Alaskan cedar. He collected some pieces, took them home, and grafted them to seedling trees. He gave some of these plants to a local nursery, which went bankrupt, so the plants just sat in the ground. He had told a friend, Talon Buchholz, of the Buchholz & Buchholz Nursery, Gaston, Oregon about these plants, and when George died, Talon traveled to the nursery to rescue the plants. His nursery then introduced it to others, and soon it became grown more widely, while still rare and a true collectors’ item.

Buying Green Arrow Alaskan Cedars at The Tree Center

At the Tree Center, we have been able to find some beautiful specimens, carefully grafted from the original plants, and we are proud to offer them to our clients. These very special plant is of course completely different from any cheaper seedling trees of the wild tree, or from other inferior weeping forms. This spectacular tree will make a dramatic feature in your garden, and its rarity means that our clients will quickly order it, so if you want to grow this plant – and who wouldn’t? – then order now and avoid disappointment.

This super-hardy evergreen will shrug off temperatures as low as minus 50, so it is a great choice in even the coldest parts of the country. When choosing plants, it always makes sense to choose an improved, selected form, and not just cheap seedling trees. Selected forms give uniform growth from every plant, and they have the ideal features needed to make perfect screens and hedges. The Techny Arborvitae is a selected form of the American arborvitae, which is remarkable for several reasons, all of which suggest choosing it, not cheaper seedlings.

About the Techny Arborvitae

The Techny Arborvitae is noted firstly for its hardiness, showing greater resistance to cold than most other forms of arborvitae. Visually, as part of this hardiness, it does not bronze in winter, as many do, so it remains an attractive green color through the coldest weather – a big visual plus. As well, it has very sturdy branching, and it is naturally wider at the base than normal, so your screen will have a strong, wide base right to the ground, with no thinning. Some arborvitae look untidy for several months of the year, because the older leaves turn yellow over a long period, and hang on the tree. Not the Techny Arborvitae – its older leaves turn yellow in September and quickly drop to the ground as useful mulch – they don’t hang around looking unsightly.

Growth Rate

The growth of this tree is also fast – even a small tree will be at 8 feet tall in 5 years, rapidly giving you the screening you need, and building beautiful hedges for you. Because of its broad structure, you can also space these trees more widely than normal. For a single row, space your plants up to 10 feet apart. For a double row, the rows can be as much as 16 feet apart and you can space the plants up to 14 feet apart. If you need a long screen, this wider spacing translates into a big saving, although of course it will take longer to fill in. For a denser screen sooner, space 5 to 6 feet apart in a single row, and 8 feet apart in a double one, with the rows 10 feet apart.

Natural Habitat

The American arborvitae, or White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis), is a native plant growing across most of North America, in both the USA and Canada. It is typically found in damp locations, but in gardens it will grow well in ordinary garden soil. Once it is established it is perfectly resistant to the normal drought conditions encountered in cooler states. It will grow in almost all garden soils, from sand to clay, but it does benefit from a richer soil, and a good supply of water, especially when young. Trees that are regularly fertilized and watered will grow much faster than trees left to themselves.

Leaves, Bark and Coloring

Like it parent tree, the American arborvitae, the Techny Arborvitae has tiny green leaves that cling to the stems like scales. The smaller branches are arranged in sprays, and the growth is upright and dense. The bark is brown and peels away from the stems, but you will rarely see any bark, as your trees will grow so dense and bushy. Small green cones may be seen in early summer, which develop into clusters of round brown cones about ½ an inch across. Trees that are regularly trimmed rarely develop cones in any significant quantity.

Origins and History

The Techny Arborvitae is a unique plant found growing at the Mission Gardens in the town of Techny, Illinois. Mission Gardens was a nursery run by a group of Brothers last century, and they were responsible for introducing a number of new plants to gardens, from conifers to daylilies. Our plants are grown from plants derived from that original stock, and they are carefully selected to give you the ideal arborvitae for specimens, hedges or screening.

Trimming

You can trim your plants anytime between late spring and early fall, and to develop the best screens or hedges, do some light trimming while your trees are still young, rather than wait until they are full-sized. This way you will get the densest structure possible, and you will not slow the growth significantly. Just trim an inch or two from the tips of the branches.

Across most of the country this plant stands head and shoulders above the competition – literally – but for the south-east an alternative is needed, a plant that is more durable and reliable. Well now that plant has arrived – the Murray Leyland Cypress. From the chance find of an unusual plant, a solution has been found, with a Leyland Cypress that is resistant to heat and humidity and that will not suffer from the problems seen on plants in those areas.

If you live in the south-east, and are looking for fast-growing screening or hedging plants, you may have been uncertain what to plant. Be uncertain no longer. The Murray Leyland Cypress is the answer. Just as fast growing as the original, but disease-resistant and able to thrive in conditions that could have been a challenge, this plant is going to make superb hedges and screens a reality in areas where they would have been difficult.

Growing Murray Leyland Cypress Trees

The Murray Leyland Cypress is a special selection of the traditional Leyland Cypress, which grows as fast or faster than the original. It will rapidly become a tall tree 30 feet tall or more, with a full, columnar shape and a width of more than 12 feet. It differs a little from the original tree in shape, because the branches are stronger and thrust outwards a little more, giving the plant more character and interest if grown as an un-clipped specimen tree. This feature also means the plants will grow together faster when planted as a screen, and allows for slightly wider spacing. It has the same foliage, with pointed leaves clinging to the stems and growing in soft upright sprays. In spring it is an attractive lighter-green color, which darkens to a very rich, dark green in late summer and stays that way all winter. Your screen or hedge will always look lush, richly colorful and green, no matter what time of year it is – no more brown winter hedges.

Planting Location

Because of its tougher character, the Murray Leyland Cypress can be planted in almost any location. In fact, this plant is a great choice almost anywhere, not just in the limited area of the south-east, since its sturdy structure makes it more resistant to snow and ice, as well as being better in hot, dry periods. Although the normal Leyland Cypress is reliable almost everywhere, the new Murray variety is also an excellent choice, no matter where you live. In cooler regions we recommend Thuja Green Giant, or in very cold areas, the cold-resistant Emerald Green Arborvitae.

History and Origins of the Murray Leyland Cypress

The Leyland Cypress is a hybrid tree that grew from a natural cross between Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and Nootka Cypress (Cupressus nootkatensis). It originated in a garden in Wales, in 1888. After a long period where it was little-known, it was adopted as the number one, fastest-growing hedging plant around. In southern states it is also grown as a Christmas tree, and it is especially popular in Georgia. Bill Murray is a retired forester who has a Christmas tree farm, and one day he spotted an unusual plant among his Leyland Cypress trees. He took cuttings from it, grew the plants, and planted them to see how they would develop. He was amazed at the growth-rate – even faster than the ordinary Leyland Cypress, as well as by the toughness of this plant both in wetter and drier conditions. He also saw that it was disease-resistant, and so a great improvement for the south-east.

An alternative belief of some experts is that this is a different hybrid plant altogether, a cross between the Nootka Cypress and the very tough and heat-resistant Mexican Cypress (Cupressus lusitanica). This cross has been made several times, but particularly in New Zealand in 1961. It is possible that one of these plants was accidentally mixed with some Leyland Cypress that found their way to Bill Murray’s nursery. This cross is called Cupressus x ovensii, and the presence of the Mexican Cypress in it would certainly explain its vigor and resistance. Genetic tests have not yet been done to settle this question.

Whatever its origins, gardeners just know that this ‘second-generation’ Leyland Cypress is the answer when you need a screen or hedge in a location or climate where the traditional form will perhaps not do well. We have a good supply of this plant, but we know how big the demand is going to be. If you want to plant a truly reliable hedge, especially in the south-eastern states, choose the Murray Leyland Cypress. But act fast, as our stocks will not last long.

Nestling among these bright new leaves are large clusters of white, scented flowers, adding to the show. The red leaves last and last, sometimes for up to 4 months, before gradually fading to the rich green of the mature foliage. The flowers develop into clusters of red berries, which add a great feature to the fall garden, and often last well into winter, brightening the garden before becoming food for waxwings, thrushes and other wild birds.

Growing Red Tip Photinias

Not only is the Red Tip Photinia an attractive addition to any garden, it is a tough, reliable plant, able to cope well in many different garden conditions. It is also fast-growing, adding 2 to 3 feet of growth every year when young. It will grow in full sun, partial shade, and even in full shade beneath taller trees.

Soil Conditions and Hardiness

As for soil, unlike those fussy plants that only grow in acidic soils, this bush will grow in all kinds of soils. That makes it especially useful if you garden on alkaline soils, where the range of plants is more limited. It is also hardy to zero degrees Fahrenheit, so it grows across all the mild and hot parts of the country. It will also grow in zone 6, with colder winter temperatures, but there it should be planted in a southern or western facing spot, close to the shelter of a building. It has no particular pests or diseases, although in very humid areas some leaves may fall in summer. Avoid wet soil, and wetting the foliage when watering during humid seasons. Plants can be cut back and will quickly recover from any leaf loss.

Uses in Your Garden

Plant the Red Tip Photinia as part of your shrub borders. It grows 10 or 12 feet tall – a good size for background planting, but not so big that it will take over your garden. It will grow a similar width, but this is a plant that is easily trimmed to keep it smaller, if you need to. Because it is easy to trim, it also makes a wonderful screen or hedge plant. As an informal screen, place the plants about 8 feet apart – they will need little or no trimming to quickly form a dense barrier. For a clipped hedge lower than 6 feet, space out the plants 3 or 4 feet apart. Space them 5 or 6 feet apart for a taller hedge.

Trimming

Start trimming when your plants are still young, so that you develop a dense, twiggy structure to your hedge. With its fast growth-rate you will have a full-sized hedge in no time at all. Once established and clipped, the growth will slow a little, so this plant will not be hard to manage. The best time to trim an individual bush or a hedge is in late winter, before the new growth begins. Trimming in spring will remove the attractive red shoots, but if you trim just after they have turned green, another flush of red leaves will appear, continuing the color display.

History and Origins of the Red Tip Photinia

All the different kinds of Photinia plants come from Asia, in countries such as India, Japan and Thailand, as well as in the Himalayan mountains. The story of the Red Tip Photinia is an interesting one. Ollie Fraser had a nursery in Birmingham, Alabama, which had been running since the beginning of last century. He had several different Photinia growing there, and one day he collected some seeds from a plant of an attractive Chinese species called Photinia serratifolia (also called ‘serrulata’).

When the seedlings grew, one plant stood out as very different – fast-growing, and with brilliant red new shoots. When it was looked at by experts, they realized that it was a hybrid with another plant – the Japanese Photinia, Photinia glabra, which was growing nearby. This all happened around 1940, and ever since then this wonderful plant has been grown in gardens for its toughness, rapid growth and beautiful red spring shoots. Ollie has the plant named after him – Photinia x fraseri.

Buying Red Tip Photinias at The Tree Center

Obviously, seeing how special this plant is, and how it was a very rare change event that produced it, cheaper seedling plants just called ‘Photinia’ will not be this great, fast-growing plant. Our plants are produced from stem cuttings taken from plants than can be traced directly back to that original plant growing in a seed bed at Fraser Nurseries. This plant has been a favorite for many years, and now you can buy top-quality plants guaranteed to be the original form, right here at the Tree Center. Because this is such a useful plant for both specimens and hedges, we know how quickly our stocks will be depleted, so order now while you can still enjoy in your own garden one of the highlights of spring.

However, there is more to gardening than planting hedges, and another use for evergreens is as interesting specimens around the house or garden. This is where DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae stands out as a ‘must have’ plant. It grows steadily into an upright column, with attractive twisted branches that give it an elegant look and set it apart from other upright arborvitae with more bland and boring outlines.

This is the perfect plant for a feature in a narrow space, and it is the ideal specimen for a small garden, or to create a narrow hedge that needs little or no trimming. It will grow well in full sun or partial shade, and with its narrow, upright outline it sheds snow and ice without breaking, so it will do well even in exposed areas. For an attractive tree of similar form in hot areas, consider choosing the Italian Cypress.

About DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae

American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is a small tree growing to perhaps 60 feet, which is native to south-eastern Canada and the north-eastern USA. It has soft, scale-like leaves pressed on the stems which in turn are arranged in sprays. Wild trees have an open habit, but most garden varieties have been selected to be denser, either upright or rounded. There are several upright varieties, but ‘DeGroot’s Spire’ is the pick of them, because it has elegant twisted branches, that give an interesting textural outline to the tree, making a real feature in your garden.

Growth Rate

It will grow 6 inches or more a year to reach perhaps 15 feet tall and 4 feet wide in 20 years, but like all evergreens it will continue to grow as long as it lives, and become a more striking and elegant specimen every year. The exact origin of this outstanding variety seems to have been lost.

Planting Your DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae

Plant your DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae in a sunny or partially shaded spot, in average to moist soil. Arborvitae do best in soil that is rich and moist, but once established this tree will handle normal summer dry periods with no problem. There are no significant pests or diseases, but deer will eat the foliage in winter if they can. For a hedge, plant 18 to 24 inches apart in a row and water well for the first summer or two.

Using DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae as a Hedge

The great thing about using DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae for a hedge is that little or no trimming is needed, as the growth is so compact. For low-maintenance that takes some beating and you will always have a neat hedge with an interesting texture. It is also possible to trim the plants if desired for an even neater profile. Trim from late spring to early fall, as winter damage can occur on newly-trimmed hedges, especially in colder areas.

Buying DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae at The Tree Center

Whether you are looking for an outstanding but easy to grow specimen evergreen for a narrow spot, or want to create a low maintenance hedge or screen, DeGroot’s Spire Arborvitae is the #1 pick of hardy evergreens. There are many kinds of arborvitae, but our plants are taken from plants derived from the original form, so they are very superior to cheaper seedling plants that will be completely different, much larger and looser in form, and not suitable at all for use as a striking specimen bush. This popular variety is always in high demand, so order now to avoid the disappointment of it being sold out.

Privacy is a valuable thing in every garden, but it can be hard to achieve quickly when you need it. It is especially difficult to find tough, fast-growing plants that will tolerate shade and dryness while still producing a dense hedge. If you need a plant like that, the Skip Cherry Laurel is the ideal tree for just those situations. You can grow a ten-foot hedge in four years from planting, with fertilizer and regular watering.

As the hedge matures, it will become so solid that nothing can get through. Yet this tree needs very little attention once established. It will grow in full-sun or shade, tolerate drought, has no pests or diseases and needs no special care at all. The more you trim it the denser and more beautiful it will become. Tall or short, rounded or square, it is easy to create hedges of all shapes and sizes with Skip Laurel.

As well as making great hedges, this is an excellent choice for foundation planting around your property, as a background shrub in a larger garden, or indeed anywhere you want rounded or upright shrubs – clipped or unclipped – to give your garden that mature, traditional look. If you leave it to grow without clipping, your plant will grow into a rounded tree perhaps 18 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet across, making an attractive background plant in a large garden.

In most gardens however, its main value is in making hedges and screens, which it does with speed and ease. Because this selected variety of Cherry Laurel has much smaller leaves than common forms of the same plant, it makes a much neater, more compact hedge than the original form, while still growing vigorously to any size needed.

Skip Laurel will easily grow 2 feet a year. If left untrimmed it will reach 10 to 18 feet in height, so it is easy to achieve a hedge of almost any size. Yet it can also be maintained at just a few feet tall for years and years. It has glossy dark-green leaves that always look lush and healthy. This is such a tough plant that even if you just push it into the ground and forget it, it will thrive and do well.

Growing Location for Skip Laurels

Plants that thrive in both sun and shade are hard to find. Yet most gardens have many shady areas and the garden boundaries, where hedges are most needed, are often in the shade beneath trees. Skip Laurel is an outstanding plant exactly because it does thrive in all light levels, without yellowing in the sun, or growing weak in the shade. If part of your hedge is shaded, it will be just as strong as the part in the sun. You won’t have to look at hedges with thin, straggly areas wherever there is some shade. In full sun, in partial shade, or even in complete shade, you can be sure this plant will do its job for you.

Because it is resistant to air pollution and dust too, this is a great tree for those tough, urban conditions found in town gardens. With its dense growth, it also makes a terrific noise and dust barrier, so for screening in urban areas it is hard to beat.

Skip Laurel Hardiness

Skip Laurel is well known for its hardiness. Other varieties of Laurel will brown in winter, with those lovely glossy leaves turning brown and ugly. If you live in cooler areas, such as zone 6, be careful to choose this variety for your garden. In those areas it will always go through the winter without browning, coming into the spring looking as healthy and fresh as it did in fall.

Not only is this tree hardy right down to minus 10 degrees, it thrives in much warmer areas, all the way through zone 9. It doesn’t matter if you live in a hot, dry area, or a hot, humid area, this plant will flourish in your garden and be a great addition, wherever you live. Even if you live in warmer parts of zone 5, this tree will grow well, with perhaps just a few brown leaves from winter, which will be replaced quickly by new spring growth.

Skip Laurel Specs

Soil Type

Laurel grows well in all kinds of soil, from sandy soils to clay. The only thing it does not like is soil that is often wet or flooded. It also grows well in both acid and alkaline soils, so for almost every garden, this is an ideal plant that will adapt to whatever you have to offer it.

Soil conditions

Skip Laurel will grow in almost any soil, and it tolerates poor soils, clay and urban air-pollution. However to produce a strong healthy hedge in the quickest time add organic material like compost, peat-moss or rotted manure to the soil when planting and give plenty of water during the first few years. Once established and grown to a suitable height this plant will tolerate and even thrive on total neglect, never needing watering or fertilizing at all.

Drought Resistance

Dryness is always a problem in the garden, so it is nice to meet a tree that doesn’t care. Laurel is very hardy and looks great after weeks of heat and drought – so you can save your time for something more useful.

You should always give water to any new plants in your garden, and Skip Laurel is no exception. For the first growing season or two, water weekly during hot weather. Once established, things will be different, and your plants will take care of themselves, staying fresh and green even during long and dry periods. We do suggest that while you are growing your screens and hedges you water and fertilize them, as that will give you the strongest and fastest growth. However, once they are tall and dense, they will take extended periods of drought without any problem at all.

Pests and Diseases

Another great thing about this tree is that pests and diseases don’t bother it at all. Even under stress, it stays healthy, so you will not see nasty pests spoiling the look of your trees. Even if you live in an area with deer, you will be fine, because deer know this tree is poisonous, and they stay right away from it.

More About the Schipka Cherry Laurel

The Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), also called English laurel, grows naturally around the Black Sea, as well as in Turkey and in Iran. The wild tree is usually a large shrub, but it can grow into a tall tree, even rarely over 50 feet tall. It has large, thick glossy leaves that are evergreen, so it looks attractive all year round. These oblong-shaped leaves are up to 6 inches long (only 4 inches long in the Skip Laurel) and up to 2 inches across.

Attractive clusters of white flowers appear in spring, like upright candles, up to 5 inches long. These flower clusters are rarely produced on plants grown for hedges, but they are a spring feature on unclipped plants. Clusters of black, cherry-like fruits follow the flowers. Despite its name, the black ‘cherry’ fruits should not be eaten by humans, although birds love them. The leaves are also toxic, so do not use this plant for a hedge if livestock can reach it.

Introduced into gardens across Europe hundreds of years ago, and brought to America by the settlers, cherry laurel has proved it worth in gardens for many, many years. The Skip Laurel, however, is not from those original introductions. This unique tree was found growing wild near the Shipka Pass in Bulgaria, and introduced into European gardens about 1886.

Once its virtues were noticed it was brought to America in the 20^th century, where it has become a hedging standard. Unlike the wild tree, which has very large leaves, this hardy form, with its smaller leaves and rapid growth, is much easier to prune, and so very much more desirable and suitable for gardens than other varieties.

Finding the Right Cherry Laurel

When it comes to Cherry Laurel, there are many different kinds available. In colder areas, for smaller gardens, for easy to maintain screens and hedges, there is just one ‘best choice’ – the Skip Laurel. This specially selected form cannot be grown from seed, so avoid cheaper plants, which are often seedlings of unknown origin and uncertain growth.

Our trees are grown by experts – from trees directly derived from that original plant – so you know you are getting exactly what you want. Because every plant is identical, your hedge or screen will be perfectly uniform with no variations in color, leaf shape or vigor. It always pays to get the best.

Making the Perfect Screen or Hedge

Skip Laurel is the ideal choice for a privacy screen or hedge, in sun or shade. Left alone to grow naturally, or clipped a little or a lot, this is a very responsive plant, and it can be cut as hard as necessary. Unlike many conifers (needle-trees) which will not re-sprout from bare wood, if your laurel trees become too large, you can cut them right back to the trunks and they will re-sprout quickly. So even if you neglect them for several years, they will not be lost. You can quickly reduce them in size and start again.

Using Skip Laurels as an Informal Barrier or Screen

Often we need a big thick screen to block out an ugly view, give us privacy, or block noise, dirt and drifting snow. Laurel is the ideal choice. It grows rapidly in sun or shade and had a graceful form when left unclipped. To create a privacy screen, plant your trees between 3 and 10 feet apart, depending on how quickly you need screening, and how dense you want it to be.

Planted closely your trees will fill in and give you a solid barrier in just a few short years. Planted further apart they will do the same in time – it just takes longer. Laurel naturally grows much wider than it does tall, so a wider spacing is an economical way to go.

Using Skip Laurels as a Formal Hedge

If you want a neat hedge you can trim into shape, plant your trees 3 to 4 feet apart for a hedge that will quickly provide privacy. For an extra dense hedge that is perfect for also screening out noise and dust, plant a double row. Space the rows 3 feet apart and the plants 4 to 6 feet apart, staggering them to form a zigzag. This will grow into a thick, impenetrable hedge that guarantees you absolute peace and privacy.

To make the perfect hedge, the best way is to dig a trench, using a tight string to keep it straight. After preparing the soil as described below, make your trench twice as wide as the pots and just a little deeper. Then line up your plants in the trench, adjusting the spacing so that they are all exactly the same distance apart, and in a straight line. For the first and last plants, space them half your chosen planting distance from where you want the hedge to begin and end. This little bit of extra work will give you the perfect hedge, so take a few moments longer to get it 100% right.

Planting Your Skip Laurel

You can plant these trees at any time of year, as long as the ground is not frozen. Because they are grown in pots there is no shock on planting and your new trees will be happy to be in their new home.

It always pays to prepare the soil well for planting, even with such a tough and hardy plant as this. Dig or till an area 2 to 3 feet wide, in a row where you are planting your hedge, or in circles for wider spacing or a single specimen. Dig the soil from 8 to 12 inches deep. Add some organic material. Anything will do, from garden compost to rotted manure or peat moss. Remove large stones but leave smaller ones – they do no harm to your plants.

Once you have prepared the soil, soak the plants in their pots the evening before planting. Dig a trench or individual holes in your prepared ground, and place the plants in the trench. Adjust the spacing until everything is as you want it, and now you are ready to plant.

Remove the plants from the pots and place them back in the holes. Push back about two-thirds of the planting soil, firming it down around the roots as you go. Once you have that soil back, flood the holes with water, filling them to the top. After the water has drained away, put back the rest of the soil. Additional watering at this time is not necessary except during very dry weather.

Caring for Skip Laurels

This low care plant is easy to grow and needs very little attention to thrive in any garden. Here are some basic tips to help make that job even easier.

Watering

Water your new trees once or twice a week for the first few weeks, until they have established and started to send out new growth. Water thoroughly once a week, or every two weeks during cooler weather, for the first growing season. After that, watering will help speed the growth of your trees, but it is not necessary at all, unless you have a very long period of heat and drought.

Mulching

Putting mulch around your trees will help conserve water and keep down weeds. Use a 2 to 3 inch thick layer, spread over the root zone, but keep it a few inches away from the trunk. Renew the mulch in spring if necessary, simply covering up the old mulch without digging it into the ground.

Fertilizing

Regular feeding with fertilizer suitable for evergreen trees and hedges will give you the quickest growth and the strongest plants. This will make a big difference during the early years, and give you the strongest plants and the fastest growth. Mature plants only need occasional feeding. Use granular or slow-release formulations and follow the manufacturer’s directions. Do not overfeed. Spring and late summer are usually the best times to feed your plants.

Pruning and Trimming Skip Laurels

Laurel is easily pruned or trimmed, because it will re-sprout, even from thick, bare branches. You can trim your trees anytime between spring and mid-fall, but try not to stimulate new growth in late-fall, to protect your trees from possible cold damage on soft new growth.

Young trees are best if pruned with pruners, rather than hedge trimmers, to avoid cutting the leaves. Later you can change to regular trimmers to save time. For an informal screen you do not need to prune while young at all, but for a hedge it is important to trim early, so that you develop a dense hedge that is not too wide. The best way to do this is to trim lightly but often, to produce plants with many small branches.

Trimming Skip Laurel Screens

Trim screens once a year if necessary, especially if you want foliage right to the ground. Laurel spread sideways and this shades the lower parts, so that a tree-like form eventually develops. To prevent this, trim the upper branches back so that the lower branches continue to receive light and remain strong and vigorous. If you live where there is a lot of snow in winter, trimming will also keep the plants dense and not likely to break under the weight of the snow.

Trimming Skip Laurel Hedges

Hedges should be trimmed two or three times a year, starting when your plants are still young. Trim the upper growth more than the bottom, so that your hedge leans inwards slightly. This will allow the light to reach the lower parts, and keep your hedge lush and thick right to the ground. Keep the top of your hedge thin to prevent thick snow building up.

Order the Perfect Skip Laurel Today

Our trees are true to the original form of this superb laurel variety, and we have a wide range of sizes to give you the best plant for your purpose. We are constantly renewing our stock so our customers get fresh, healthy plants, but demand is high, so supplies of this tree may be limited. To avoid disappointment order now.

We are sure that this new plant is going to be a big hit with gardeners looking for something new but very reliable, so although we have good stocks, order now before our stocks run out and we can no longer supply you. Order now or face disappointment.

Appearance of the Oakland Holly Tree

To begin with, the Oakland Holly Tree doesn’t really look much like an ordinary holly, so it offers us a new, unique evergreen bush to decorate our gardens with. Unlike almost every other holly, it does not have shiny leaves, but instead the leaves are a rich shade of dark green, but with a more ‘modern’ semi-glossy finish. Secondly, you might not even think this was a holly, because the leaves look more like some interesting evergreen oak tree – you might even imagine this tree was a hybrid between holly and oak, if such a thing was possible.

When winter comes, however, you will see that this really is a holly tree, because your plant will be garlanded with bunches of berries in a distinctive orange-red color, but definitely holly berries. Perhaps because of its unique parentage, the Oakland Holly Tree has one more great feature to offer. Unlike almost every other holly tree, this one does not need a separate male tree to produce its berries – it can do it all by itself, so you are always sure to get berries, no matter where you plant it.

Growing Oakland Holly Trees

The Oakland Holly Tree is however not just some novelty item. Besides being unique, this bush is a real garden ‘work-horse’. It is a vigorous grower, adding 12 inches or more a year until it reaches 15 or even 20 feet in height. It develops naturally into a dense pyramid, with solid branches from top to bottom, so it makes a great barrier or screening plant. With a mature width of at least 12 feet, you don’t need many trees to create a solid, evergreen barrier that will always look great and not even need trimming. Plant your trees 4 to 5 feet apart in a row and you will soon have a solid wall of rich green, giving you the privacy you need, hiding an ugly wall or view, or making a perfect neutral background to your flowering shrubs.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The Oakland Holly Tree is a very versatile plant. It will grow in full sun or quite dense shade. It will also grow in any average garden soil, from sand to clay, and it will grow in both wet and dry soils. It prefers slightly acid soil and does best in moist, rich, well-drained soil. It has no significant pests or diseases and it is rarely bothered by deer.

Pruning

Without any pruning this tree will develop into a dense bush, but plants in heavy shade may need some pruning to keep them dense. You can also prune up the lower branches as the tree grows to make a taller tree with a beautiful trunk, so that other plants can be grown beneath it. This is especially useful in a small garden where space is at a premium, yet screening is often needed for privacy.

History and Origins of the Oakland Holly Tree

The story of the Oakland Holly Tree is an interesting one. There are many species of holly trees and this tree has three parents. Its first two parents were the Chinese Holly (Ilex cornuta), a very sturdy holly with good drought resistance, and another Chinese holly, the rare Ilex perneyi. The resulting seedlings were then hybridized with a holly widely grown in Japan, called Ilex latifolia. From this mix of tough species grew a tough tree called the oak leaf holly.

All this work was done by a nurseryman called Jack Magee, from Poplaville, Mississippi, during the 1970’s and 80’s. Then one day in 1989 he noticed a branch growing on one of his oak leaf hollies that looked different. He grew it into a plant and found that this plant was more compact and better-formed than its parent, with shorter spaces between the leaves and a denser appearance. In 2002 he patented this plant as the Oakland Holly Tree. Our stock is derived directly from that original tree, so you get the exact features that make this tree so special, and that you will not find on any other holly tree.