Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus lo-roh-SER-AY-sis
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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A popular cultivar, 'Schipkaensis' is a spreading evergreen shrub or small tree that is goblet-shaped and grows up to about 6.5' high. This plant blooms in spring and has a compact habit. It has denser flowering racemes than 'Otto Luyken'. Leaves tend to be more perpendicular to the stem or slightly drooping, whereas those of 'Otto Luyken' are angled upward at a 45-60 degree angle to the stem. Leaves bear several teeth near the apex as the leaf narrows. In trade, it is often observed as 'Skipensis' and pronounced as Skip Cherry Laurel. This cultivar is named for a location ("-ensis" is a suffix added to a place, meaning "from" that place), the Schipka pass in the mountains separating India from Nepal. This plant is tolerant of alkaline soils, dry and poor soils, pollution, and heavy pruning. It is moderately tolerant to salt. It is intolerant of heavy fertilization. It has a rapid growth rate with competitive roots and has pest problems. This plant tolerates pruning and shade well. It would make an excellent specimen or plant in small groups or even mass plant for screen or privacy hedge.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
Quick ID Hints:
- 2 glands present at leaf base below next to midrib
- Leaves narrowly lanceolate, serrate at apex
- Evergreen shrub, broad and goblet-shaped to 6.5'
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- laurocerasus
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5b, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Purple-black drupe .5" long that appears in early summer and matures mid-summer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are white, small, and grow on dense, cylindrical raceme's that are 4" long in leaf axils.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, lanceolate, serrate near the apex, with at least 2 conspicuous glands on underside of leaf at base and near midrib. They are dark green in color, narrow, and 2-6" long.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are green.
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Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Dry Soil
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Salt
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting, shock.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycosides
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Seeds
- Stems
