Photo: Velela, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Shrub · Thymelaeaceae
Spurge-laurel
Daphne laureola
In other languages: Peperboompje (Nederlands) · Daphné lauréole (Français)
Spurge-laurel is an evergreen shrub from the broadleaved woods of western and southern Europe and North Africa, where it often grows under trees on chalky soil. It reaches about 1 m tall and wide, with upright, sparsely branched stems topped by a ruff of leathery, glossy dark green leaves. From February to April, small clusters of yellowish-green tubular flowers with a light, sweet scent appear beneath these ruffs. Egg-shaped black berries follow in summer. Gardeners value it as one of the few evergreens that stay attractive in the shade of trees and on chalky soil while flowering in winter. Take care, though: the whole plant is highly poisonous.
Caution: All parts are highly poisonous, including the tempting black berries. Children are most at risk, but so are dogs, cats, horses and other livestock. The sap can irritate the skin: wear gloves when pruning and planting, and never throw prunings into a field with grazing animals.
Light
Partial shade or shade
tolerates little sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand, loam or clay
neutral to chalky
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -20 °C
Size
1 m
tall, 1 m wide
Flowering
February–April
| Pruning months | May |
|---|---|
| Height | 1 m |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Flowering | February–April |
Identify
Spurge-laurel: how do you recognise it?
- Habit
- Upright, sparsely branched shrub about 1 m tall and wide; the leaves are clustered in ruffs at the shoot tips.
- Leaves
- Lance-shaped to obovate, 5–12 cm long, leathery and glossy dark green. Evergreen.
- Flower
- Small, yellowish-green tubular flowers in short clusters in the leaf axils, beneath the leaf ruffs, from February to April.
- Scent
- Light and sweet, best noticed on mild, still days.
- Fruit
- Egg-shaped, glossy black berries about 1 cm long in summer; highly poisonous.
- Roots
- Fine and fairly shallow; it hates being moved.
Flowering: February–April · Plants: April–May and September–October · Pruning: May
In your garden
Why grow it?
- Evergreen: a glossy dark green shrub for shade, even in winter.
- Flowers from February, when there is still little going on in the garden.
- The early flowers are a welcome source of nectar for bees and bumblebees on mild days.
- Thrives where many shrubs fail: in the shade of trees and on chalky soil.
- Stays compact and needs almost no pruning.
Spurge-laurel: where does it grow best?
- Partial to full shade, for example under deciduous trees or on the north side of a hedge; strong midday sun scorches the leaves.
- Sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky: it also grows well on chalk.
- Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil: it does not tolerate waterlogging.
- Choose a permanent spot from the start: once established it moves badly.
- Allow about 1 m of space, 70–80 cm in a group. Not next to a play area or a field with animals.
- Light
- Partial shade and shade
- Soil type
- Sand, loam or clay
- Acidity
- Neutral or chalky
- Moisture
- Normal
- Size
- 1 m tall, 1 m wide
- Hardiness
- Hardy (to -20 °C)
Goes well with
- Stinking hellebore: Also evergreen, with green flowers in late winter, on chalky soil in shade.
- Snowdrop: Flowers at the same time and fills the ground under the shrub.
- Barrenwort: An evergreen ground cover for the same shade.
- Wood anemone: White spring flowers beneath the shrub.
- Ferns: Fresh foliage in summer, when the shrub is not in flower.
Maintenance
Spurge-laurel: when and how to plant it?
Plant in April–May and September–October.
- Plant in April–May or September–October, when the soil is not frozen or too wet.
- Wear gloves: the sap can irritate the skin.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in leaf mould or compost; on heavy soil also add some coarse grit for drainage.
- Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, without teasing out the root ball, and firm gently.
- Water in generously straight away.
- Mulch with leaf mould to keep the roots cool and moist.
Care
- Water
- Water regularly in dry spells during the first year, then only in long dry periods. Avoid waterlogging.
- Feeding
- A little compost or leaf mould in spring; no other fertiliser is needed.
- Mulching
- A layer of leaf mould every spring keeps the roots cool and the soil rich in humus.
- Moving
- Best avoided: older plants rarely re-establish after being moved.
- Gloves
- Always work with gloves and wash your hands after pruning.
Tip: Choose a permanent spot in shade with well-drained soil from the start: spurge-laurel hates being moved and having wet feet.
Spurge-laurel: when to prune it?
Pruning months: May.
When: Pruning is rarely needed. If you must, do it just after flowering, in May.
How:
- Remove only dead, damaged or awkward shoots, just above a ruff of leaves.
- Shorten a few shoots at most: it does not respond well to hard pruning.
- Wear gloves and keep the prunings away from grazing animals.
Caution: Do not prune in autumn or winter: you would cut off the flower buds.
Propagation
- Seed
- In summer, pick ripe berries wearing gloves, remove the pulp and sow the seeds straight away in a pot outdoors. They germinate slowly, often only after winter.
- Semi-ripe cuttings
- In July–August, take 8–10 cm cuttings from young side shoots and insert them in a gritty cutting compost under plastic. They root slowly and not always.
- Layering
- In spring, pin a low shoot into the soil and cover it; sever it after a year and move it carefully.
Spurge-laurel: how does it get through the winter?
Hardy to −20 °C.
- Hardy to about −20 °C: no protection needed in Belgium.
- Leaves and flower buds tolerate frost; only cold, drying wind may brown the leaf edges.
- In a pot: keep it in a sheltered spot and keep the compost slightly moist but not wet.
Diseases and pests
- Sudden death: Daphnes can die back quite suddenly, often from root rot in wet soil. Plant in well-drained soil and do not move it.
- Aphids: On young shoots in spring. Natural predators usually deal with them; otherwise hose them off with water.
- Scorched leaves: Brown patches or faded leaves from too much sun. Choose a shadier spot.
- Yellow leaves: Soil that is too wet or has dried out. Check the moisture and add leaf mould.
Through the year
- February: Flowering begins. Enjoy the scent on mild days.
- March: Flowering. Bees and bumblebees visit the flowers.
- April: Last flowers. Plant. Add compost and mulch.
- May: Prune lightly after flowering if needed. Plant.
- July: The black berries ripen: pick them with gloves to sow, or remove them if children play nearby. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
- August: Water in long dry spells.
- September: Plant.
- October: Plant.
- December: Rest. The flower buds have already formed.
Use
Edible and useful
Not edible. Daphnes are highly poisonous in all their parts; the red or black berries tempt children, and just a few berries can cause serious poisoning. The sap irritates the skin: wear gloves when pruning. Do not plant them where small children play. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.
Good for wildlife
- Bees
- Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.
You and this species
Did you know?
- Daphne is the Greek name for laurel; laureola means ‘little laurel’, after the laurel-like leaves.
- The English name spurge-laurel refers to the green flowers, which look a little like those of spurges, and to the laurel-like leaves.
- In the Pyrenees grows a low form, subsp. philippi, which barely reaches half a metre.