As of: March 12, 2024, 4:15 p.m
By: Andrea Stettner
Comments
Press
Split
Cherry laurel is very popular in German gardens.
Nevertheless, the evergreen plant is very controversial because it harms animals and the environment.
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is a popular hedge plant in German gardens.
No wonder, the hardy plant is pretty to look at, grows quickly, is extremely robust, tolerates heat and provides excellent privacy protection.
But despite its benefits, cherry laurel, as the plant is also called, has long been controversial among conservationists.
In Switzerland, cherry laurel will even be banned from September 1, 2024 - other neophytes such as butterfly lilac are also affected by the ban.
What are the reasons for that?
Cherry laurel is useless to wildlife and crowds out native plant species
Cherry laurel hedges can be found in every new development area today.
But conservationists advise against the plants.
© Gottfried Czepluch/Imago
Conservationists particularly criticize two main aspects of the cherry laurel: its invasiveness and its low biodiversity.
Cherry laurel is an invasive neophyte.
The plant is not native here (it originally comes from southeastern Europe and Western Asia), but it can spread uncontrollably.
This can lead to the displacement of native plant species and endanger ecological diversity.
The uncontrolled growth of cherry laurel can become a problem, particularly in forests and natural areas.
In addition, the cherry laurel offers only limited food and habitat resources for insects, birds and other animals.
This can result in reduced biodiversity in the garden or surrounding area due to a lack of important food sources and habitats.
“Although some birds find shelter in the dense growth, blackbirds and thrushes even eat its berries, the excreted, poisonous seeds contribute to the spread of the plant, which comes from Turkey,” NABU Berlin informs on its website.
NABU also criticizes the fact that the plant's poisonous leaves, which contain hydrogen cyanide
,
are “almost uncompostable”.
“It is fatal if the cuttings are disposed of on the edge of the forest,” says
NABU
.
Then the leaves would quickly become a burden on the environment.
You can find everything about household and garden tips in the regular living newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
Login here!
My news
Cherry laurel banned in Switzerland from September 1st - Is this also possible in Germany? read
Cleaning white sneakers – this home remedy works wonders
Clean roof windows from the outside: With these tips, the windows will be sparkling clean
Limescale deposits in the toilet: Five home remedies for flawless toilet reading
2 hours ago
Five things that don't belong in the dishwasher - they can damage the appliance
1 hour ago
Goodbye to snails: rake and rake the beds, then they freeze to death
Alternatives to cherry laurel
Despite the popularity of cherry laurel, there are many alternative plants that offer similar aesthetic and functional properties but are less controversial.
Privet (Ligustrum):
Privet hedges are an excellent alternative to cherry laurel.
They are also evergreen, easy to care for and offer a high level of privacy.
Additionally, privet plants are suitable for a wide range of soil and light conditions and provide a rich source of food for birds and insects through their flowers and fruits.
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus):
Hornbeam hedges serve as natural privacy screens that fit well into various garden landscapes.
Although they are not evergreen, they offer an attractive yellow color in the fall and retain some of their dry foliage over the winter.
Hornbeams are robust, easy to care for and serve as a breeding place for many birds.
Barberry (Berberis):
Barberries are a versatile alternative that can be used both as a hedging plant and as a specimen plant.
They offer attractive flowers in spring followed by decorative fruit in fall.
Barberries are undemanding and provide food and shelter for many animals, including birds and insects.
Overall, there are many alternatives to cherry laurel that offer similar aesthetic and functional properties but are less controversial and can promote biodiversity in the garden.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.