Cherry Laurel 'Otto Luyken' Shrub (1 Gal) - Hardy, fragrant, beautful shrub perfect for hedge plantings!

Once the powerful fragrance of its abundant large white flowers is seen and enjoyed for the first, even the most avid gardeners are sold on planting an Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel! The delicious aroma of these linear blossoms is strongly reminiscent of both almonds and maraschino cherries. Although fragrance is likely the primary reason this evergreen shrub is planted, there are numerous other great qualities about this Cherry Laurel! The foliage also emits the same almond/cherry fragrance when crushed or pruned. Shiny, lustrous evergreen leaves continuously add life and color to planting locations, especially in gray winter months. Because these large leaves are especially glossy, they strongly reflect sunlight and literally brighten up landscapes by redirecting light like a mirror! For this reason, Otto Luyken is especially suited to neighbor other plants with colorful flowers since its foliage sends extra light to brighten their color! While typical Cherry Laurels can grow quite large, Otto Luyken is a dwarfing cultivar that only reaches up to four feet in height. This shrub grows much more in width than height as it can reach up to an eight foot spread! This tendency to spread while remaining low is what has led to its historical popularity as a hedge plant, requiring significantly little maintenance. The Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel was named for the German World War 1 veteran who developed this shrub while finding solace in horticulture during peacetime. This Cherry Laurel reaches up to four feet in height, eight feet in width, and lives best in USDA Hardiness Zones five through nine. Please note that Cherry Laurels are poisonous if ingested and please take care if planting in a yard around small children. With its abundance of highly fragrant and massive white blossoms, shiny evergreen leaves, as well as dwarfing qualities, Otto Luyken can be used to fill innumerable roles in a landscape beyond hedging!