Propagating Schip Laurels

Schip laurels (pronounced Skip) are a very easy evergreen that you can propagate at home. I mentioned propagating cherry laurels a couple years ago but since it’s a good time of the year to take cuttings I thought I would revisit it. It will take a couple years before a cutting turns into a plant large enough for a foundation planting in the landscape but if you’re patient it’s an easy way to get a few extra plants! Schip laurels are one of several varieties of cherry laurel which means that the same techniques used to propagate the Schip laurel should be applicable to the other varieties as well.

How to Root Schip Laurels (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’)

For Schip laurels I like to take greenwood cuttings in the summertime. Taking cuttings is very simple and will result in a rooted cutting in about 4-6 weeks.

  • Take a 6 inch cutting with about 3-4 nodes.
  • Remove all but the top two leaves. 
  • Dip the cut end in rooting hormone.
  • Place in a container of rooting medium (here I used sand).
  • Keep the medium moist and wait for rooting.
  • Check in about 4 weeks to see if there are roots by giving a little tug on the cutting. If there is resistance you may have roots. 
  • Pot or plant the rooted cutting. 

After I potted up my cuttings I placed them with some hydrangea cuttings on my front porch to acclimate to the weather.

What evergreens have you propagated?

6 thoughts on “Propagating Schip Laurels”

  1. Katerina,

    You need enough sand to cover the bottom of the cutting at least 1-2 inches. As for water make sure you don't over water. Water enough to keep the sand damp and drain off any extra. Also don't let it dry at any point. If the cuttings are left completely dry for very long before they have roots they could die then rot as you water it later. Is it possible that your cuttings dried out at some point?

  2. Anonymous,

    I've used both builders sand and play sand. Builders sand probably is better since it is more coarse than play sand but both have done fine for me. If you have trouble with it drying out try mixing a little peat or coir in with the sand.

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