The distance you plant English laurel hedges (Prunus laurocerasus) depends on the desired effect you want in the landscape -- whether you want a living privacy fence or a windbreak, for example. These shrubs, which grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 6 through 9, reach heights of 12 feet and can spread 8 feet wide when left unpruned. The shrub works well in the landscape to fill in large areas or pruned back to fit in smaller spaces.
Spacing for Privacy
The English laurel's fast growth rate -- up to 3 feet per year once established -- means that the shrubs create privacy for the landscape within a few seasons. The shrubs should be spaced 4 to 5 feet apart, measuring from center to center, so there is ample room for the growing plants. This spacing is for shrubs that grow freely, without pruning. You can plant the shrubs closer together if you prune them each year.
Creating a Windbreak
Left to grow freely, the English laurel hedge works well as a windbreak when you plant two rows of shrubs approximately 2 feet apart. The second row must be staggered behind the first row so the combined planting pattern of the two rows looks like a zigzag.
The windbreak spacing gives you about 16 feet of hedgerow thickness when you do not prune the shrubs. This means that the noise from neighbors or the road is reduced by approximately 32 decibels. The human voice ranges from 30 to 60 decibels. Vehicles on the road can range up to 80 decibels. If you live beside a busy highway, plant a third row of English laurel shrubs to decrease the sound level another 16 decibels. Plant the third row about 2 feet behind the second row of shrubs so it is in line with the first.
The height and width of the English laurel shrub makes it a good choice for hiding unsightly structures in the landscape, such as a utility meter or fuel tank. Two or three shrubs planted in front of the structure should be spaced 4 to 5 feet apart in a row to conceal about 24 feet of space. Keep the hedgerow at least 6 to 8 feet away from the structure so you can work around the shrubs and their growth does not interfere with the structure.
- Monrovia: English Laurel
- Landscape Architecture Blog: Plant of the Week: Prunus Laurocerasus
- University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Laurel
- Clemson University Cooperative Extension: Laurel
- Nursery Trees.com: Laurel Hedges
- The University of Tennessee Cooperative Extension: Evergreen Trees for Screens and Hedges in the Landscape
- Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service: Hedges
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