Laurustinus

Overview

Laurustinus is a Mediterranean shrub with glossy dark leaves and flat clusters of pink buds that open white, often starting before Christmas and lasting until April. Metallic blue-black berries follow on established plants. 'Eve Price' is compact with deeper pink buds, 'Gwenllian' is similar and berries freely, 'French White' is vigorous and pure white, and 'Lucidum' has larger, shinier leaves.

Where to grow laurustinus

It copes with dry shade, clay, chalk and seaside wind, which makes it a fine choice for an awkward boundary, informal hedge or screen. Plant it where you will see the winter flowers from a window, perhaps behind hellebores or near skimmia.

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring. Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball, mix in some compost and firm the plant in at its original depth. For a hedge, space plants about 60–90 cm apart.

Care through the year

Spring

Feed lightly after flowering and mulch to keep roots cool.

Summer

Water young plants in dry spells; check the undersides of leaves for beetle larvae in late spring.

Autumn

Enjoy the first buds colouring up and plant new shrubs while the soil is still warm.

Winter

Very little care needed; knock heavy snow off branches so they do not split.

Pruning

Prune lightly in late spring once flowering finishes, trimming to shape or reducing a few long shoots. Overgrown plants tolerate hard renovation, but spread it over two or three years, removing a third of the oldest stems each time.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings taken in summer root steadily in a cold frame. You can also layer a low branch by pegging it into the soil, which will usually have roots by the following year.

Common problems

Viburnum beetle is the main pest: its larvae skeletonise leaves in late spring and adults nibble holes in summer. Pick off and destroy larvae early, and prune out twigs with egg sites over winter. Aphids and whitefly can coat leaves with sticky honeydew and sooty mould.

Guides to the problems most likely to affect laurustinus:

• Viburnum beetle

Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.

Month-by-month reminders

Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, May, October and November. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.

Related plants

• Japanese skimmia
• Mexican orange blossom
• Lenten rose

Sources

Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.

• Kew Plants of the World Online — Viburnum tinus
• Wikipedia — Viburnum tinus