Prunus lusitanica ssp. azorica 'Ybrazo1' TICO® Portugal laurel
Prunus
The genus Prunus is very extensive and, above all, remarkably diverse, comprising approximately 350 species that can differ greatly in both appearance and use. Its representatives occur from Asia through Europe and North Africa to North America. The genus includes ornamental trees and shrubs valued for their abundant and attractive flowering, fruit-bearing species with edible crops, and in this particular context also evergreen species, whose persistent foliage plays an important role especially during the dormant season, when most other woody plants are leafless. The best-known representative of this group is cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), native to the regions around the Black Sea, the Caucasus and northern Turkey, where it grows in montane forests and on moist, shaded slopes. A second species, surprisingly even more frost-hardy, is Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica), which has been cultivated in western Europe since the late 17th century. In central and eastern Europe, however, it began to be deliberately introduced only at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, when it was first brought into cultivation and subjected to long-term testing under Czech conditions by Milan Havlis around 2006. Since then, it has rightfully become one of the most important hardy evergreen species for gardens and landscapes in our climate.
Prunus lusitanica, commonly called Portugal laurel, takes its name from Lusitania, the ancient Roman designation for the territory of present‑day Portugal. It is an exclusively European species; its natural occurrence tied to the Atlantic slopes of the western Mediterranean islands and coasts. The first comprehensive description appears with Johann Jacob Dillenius (1684–1747) in Hortus Elthamensis (1732), where he mapped and illustrated the rare and cultivated plants grown in the garden of James Sherard (1666–1738) at Eltham, an English apothecary and enthusiastic amateur botanist and collector. However, older records show that it has been deliberately grown in gardens as an ornamental and useful shrub at least since 1648. It should be added that it took a long time before the species was clearly distinguished – it was often confused with common cherry laurel. Thanks to its hardiness, exceptional elegance and longevity it soon became an equal partner to those laurels in evergreen plantings. While you will often meet it in gardens today, in the wild it is rather scarce – wild stands are scattered in isolated pockets, they carry distinct genetic value and in some places are subject to local protection.
TICO® Portugal laurel is exceptional. It is a vigorously growing, large‑leaved form of this evergreen species, which I fell in love with the very first moment I encountered its luxurious foliage – one of the most distinctive features of this selection. The leaves are conspicuously large, thick, glossy and broadly obovate, with finely serrated margins, and in their overall appearance they recall those of the evergreen viburnum Viburnum odoratissimum ‘Awabuki’. While this viburnum is far too tender for the conditions of Central Europe, TICO® offers a comparable aesthetic effect in the form of a fully hardy and long‑term reliable woody plant. Newly emerging leaves display a striking bronze‑orange tint, gradually turning a fresh grass‑green and finally maturing to a deep, rich green. Young shoots are reddish at emergence and, with the arrival of cooler autumn weather, develop even more intense red to wine‑coloured tones that persist until spring, giving the plant a distinctly multicoloured character even outside the peak growing season.
Flowering is rather modest in comparison with the botanical species and cannot be regarded as the main ornamental value of this cultivar; inflorescences appear irregularly and in smaller numbers, typically in June, in the form of slender racemes 10–20 cm long composed of small, fragrant, white flowers. After flowering, fruits may develop that are not considered poisonous; these, however, occur only rarely and in limited numbers. A defining feature of TICO® is its exceptionally rapid growth and irregular branching pattern. The plant tends to form a loosely structured yet dense and richly branched, tree‑like habit with long branches that become arching over time, giving it a relaxed, natural appearance. It is suitable both for trimmed hedges as well as natural green screens, but it is particularly striking when used as a solitary specimen. The cultivar was selected by Yves Brenelière in Machecoul, France, in 2012, and is protected by European Plant Breeders’ Rights no. 48984, granted in 2018.
Botanically, this cultivar belongs to the subspecies azorica originating from the Azores, where – unlike the scattered and almost vanished populations on the European mainland – it has been preserved in the form of continuous, historically uninterrupted forest complexes. There it grows in moist montane forests, mist zones and deep valleys with a long‑term stable microclimate. The isolation of the islands and limited agricultural pressure have allowed these stands to survive in a form of exceptional historical, ecological and genetic value.
Portugal laurel prefers deep soils with ample nutrients and moisture, but thanks to its long roots it is able, over time, to find both nutrients and water almost anywhere. The soil must be well drained – it does not tolerate waterlogging. Once established, it copes very well with prolonged summer droughts and the heat of southern Europe. Nevertheless, it performs best in the moist climate typical of Great Britain, north‑western Europe (the Benelux countries) and the peat‑rich regions of northern Germany, where additional moisture promotes denser foliage. In acidic soils the leaves develop a deeper colour, although this is not essential for healthy growth; simply avoid strongly calcareous soils. Mulching is particularly beneficial for young and newly planted specimens, helping to retain moisture around the roots and protecting them from temperature fluctuations in winter. Hardiness is high – better than that of large‑leaved cherry laurels – because its thinner leaves manage water more efficiently in winter and are less prone to dehydration and scorch. Established plants (approximately 3–5 years after planting) can tolerate temperatures down to −23 °C (USDA zone 6). Fertilising is possible but not necessary; the use of mycorrhiza at planting is ideal. Pruning can be carried out in early spring to encourage branching or in mid‑summer for shaping. The plant also tolerates deep rejuvenation pruning into old wood.
Last update 07-10-2018; 07-02-2026
