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Could you clever people ID these please?

amyplumbamyplumb Posts: 14
in Problem solving
I'm designing my first flowerbed and I'm deciding what to keep.  I'm keeping these but I'd like to know what they are? When should I prune them back? 


Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    The top one is spotted laurel, Aucuba japonica.
    The bottom one is, I think, cherry laurel.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • amyplumbamyplumb Posts: 14
    Brilliant, thank you! 
  • amyplumbamyplumb Posts: 14
    Hmmm so basically both 'hedge' plants....I'm slightly going off them! Does that mean though that I can cut them back any time and they'll be fine? I might wait till they both finish flowering but other than that, pretty much any time between say March and Nov? 
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I cut a spotted laurel to the ground this time last year. It's back to 6ft. This year I may attempt to kill it again.  I was hoping to not have to resort to digging it out.  I think they take up too much space for whta they give back.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Acuba is very hard to kill. One with a huge double root has survived hacking and levering with a mattock. I've decided I'll have to leave that one and keep it brutally pruned. It's at the back of the border so I'll put up with it. The rest of them have succumbed to my ministrations.
    In short: prune it when you like but perhaps when there's no danger of frost if you do not share my murderous intent.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • amyplumbamyplumb Posts: 14
    Murderous intent :)))) I am starting to feel abit murdery now.... it seems the previous previous gardeners in my house loved Japanese plants .... all of which seem impossible to murder! 
  • delskidelski Posts: 274
    I killed an aucuba, but it was a young plant, not a well established mature specimen like yours. It's very rare to see a cherry laurel in full flower. I find they attract wasps (the laurel, not the flowers) so I'd be getting rid.
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I like both of them because they make a reliable green background all year round and the cherry laurel flowers every year, by the way. However, I have a lot of space. I cut them back when ever I feel like it and they recover at lightening speed.
  • amyplumbamyplumb Posts: 14
    I do have space, there is that. I think I'll try cutting them into submission and see what happens :)  Last year I inadvertently hacked an Elderberry tree down and a witch hasn't struck me down dead yet so what's the worst that could happen...? 
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