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Major pruning - advice so I don’t wreck the scrub

louise.colleylouise.colley Posts: 102
in Problem solving
Hi not sure what this is. Laurel maybe? It’s at least 6 foot tall and has been there about 25 years. I’ve cut back as we need to clear the area. If I cut back say to 1 metre high will it start to grow back ok? It means taking all the foliage off and will eat bear branches. It’s is a shaded area which gets very little sun. Advice appreciated before I created any carnage. Thanks 
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Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Acuba . Hard to kill😊
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    edited June 2020
    Aucuba Japonica variegata. You could cut it to 6" and it'd bounce back. 
    Hack away to your heart's content, they're almost indisctructable. 
    Devon.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Cut it back as hard as you like.  It will still grow 5 ft next year.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I should've got you to come and tend to mine @Treeface
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'm pretty sure @Dovefromabove has a great love for these?? ;)
    Devon.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I would always advise pruning those back to ground level @Hostafan1 .
    As often as possible... :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Fairygirl said:
    I would always advise pruning those back to ground level @Hostafan1 .
    As often as possible... :D
    I'd go about a foot below ground just to be sure. 
    @louise.colley, I'm not a fan
    Devon.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hostafan1 said:

    @louise.colley, I'm not a fan
    Me neither  :D

    Useful as a windbreak, to give a shelter belt for other planting though.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'm not a fan of that " it looks like it's been splashed with weedkiller" type variegation.
    Devon.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Not my thing either @Hostafan1. They always look unwell. Would rather have the plain cherry laurel.  :)
    There's a row of it near me, on a little verge which some of the houses have between their properties and the road. One of the others has Carex pendula  :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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