The Skip Laurel: Looking for a Natural Hedge?

Virginia is lucky in so many ways. The climate tends to be more accommodating than places like Florida in the summer or the Northeast in the winter. We have an abundance of plant ecosystems. Take Dragon’s Tooth, the not-as-famous-as-McAfee’s Knob hike. There, you can find not only spring ephemerals, but it’s also an excellent good for mapping out the different forest communities we have in the area (examples for all those wanting to deep dive: richcove, acidic cove, hickory/oak, pine/oak heath, northern hardwood). 

Dragon’s Tooth Summit

Another great thing about Virginia is wherever you choose to rent or buy, it’s more common than not to have some space between your family and your neighbor. That being said, you might’ve found yourself a good half acre from the next house, but those next door might not be the most courteous to share your slice of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I think most all of us have been there, and while Southern Hospitality is very much a thing here in Southwest Virginia, there’s only so much we can be hospitable to. 

This brings us to Skip Laurel. If you’re debating planting a privacy hedge between you and your neighbor, for reasons of annoyance, or because you prefer a natural view opposed to a fence, you’ve found yourself in the right place. In our most recent video, Dennis Cauley walks us through why the Skip Laurel is an excellent choice when debating what plants to use for a privacy hedge. If videos aren’t your thing, come along for a narrative journey. 

The Skip Laurel is not originally native to Virginia. Its name- Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis’ more commonly referred to as Skip Laurel can be broken into its two parts ‘Schipka’ and "-ensis" which means from Schipka, a pass in the mountains separating India from Nepal. Somewhere in the long history of humans moving and shuffling from one continent to another, the US found itself with a new plant. 

The Skip Laurel can be grown in plant hardiness zones 5-9, the entirety of the Eastern coast of the United States. If that isn’t impressive enough, it can grow in full-sun, partial-sun, or shade. The one thing to really keep in mind when planting is to make sure your soil has adequate drainage. Other than that, the Skip Laurel is a low-maintenance pest and disease resistant shrub. 

A quick note on “Deer Resistant” plants: 

Even though the Skip Laurel is lauded as a deer resistant choice for the backyard, Dennis Cauley points out that deer are known to break the rules. Deer’s going to eat what a deer wants to eat, after all- but if animals have other options, say, your day lilies, they’ll tend to leave your Skip Laurels alone. 

The reason so many choose Skip Laurels over other natural hedge options, like a Holly or a Boxwood, is because of the low-maintenance quality of the shrub. They naturally grow in a vase-like shape so require less pruning to achieve the desired look of a nice dense privacy hedge. They also keep their green, glossy leaves all year round- a bonus, no sharp pointy edges like a holly! In the spring you’ll see fragrant white flowers, and most likely a resurgence of song birds as the hedge creates the perfect environment for nesting. 

Skip Laurels typically grow anywhere from 10-18 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide, so keep this in mind when marking your dig sites. They have a moderate growth rate, and should grow around 24 inches per-year. Not bad, especially when compared with the English Boxwood which grows 1-2 inches per year. A big difference! 

If you’re afraid to give this plant a go on your own, we regularly plant Skip Laurels for clients in the Roanoke and surrounding areas. Give our office a call and we’ll get you on our planting team’s schedule. We’ll handle the occasional pruning this plant requires, as well as fertilization in the spring. 

- RL