Laurustinus

How to grow Laurustinus

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring. It takes shade well and is one of the more reliable evergreens for a shaded boundary, though flowering is heavier in sun. Shelter from cold drying winds, which scorch the foliage in hard winters.

Pruning

Trim after flowering finishes in spring. It responds well to being cut back and can be clipped as an informal hedge, but avoid pruning in autumn as this removes the flower buds.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings in mid to late summer, in a closed case or propagator.

Pests and diseases

Viburnum beetle larvae can defoliate plants in late spring. Whitefly is common on the undersides of leaves and produces sticky honeydew and sooty mould.

Value to wildlife

Flowering through winter and very early spring, it is one of the few nectar sources available to bees on mild days out of season. Blue-black berries follow and are eaten by birds.

Notes

Flowering is spread over several months rather than concentrated, opening from pink buds. In colder or more exposed gardens growth can be checked by hard frost, so treat it as borderline north of the Midlands.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Viburnum tinus but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Viburnum