Laurustinus
Viburnum tinus
A shade-tolerant evergreen that flowers through winter, feeding pollinators in the lean months — reliable for hedging and understory structure. Berries are mildly toxic in quantity.
Laurustinus in a syntropic line
Laurustinus belongs in the Shrub layer as a Climax species. Support species, fruit, and nitrogen fixers under the canopy. Rough in-row spacing starts around 1.6 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Almond, Apricot, Aspen. As a Climax species it is meant to stay for the long term — protect its light and root space as pioneers fade.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Shrub
- Lifecycle
- Climax
- Soil preference
- Loam, Sandy
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 – 8
- Min. temperature
- -10°C
- Min. rainfall
- 500 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- Medium
- Frost tolerance
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Irrigation needed
- Medium
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Medium
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Shade-tolerant evergreen hedge with valuable winter flowers for pollinators; clips well into dense screens.
How to propagate
Take softwood cuttings in summer or hardwood in winter; both root readily.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Berries are mildly toxic if eaten in quantity; can develop powdery mildew in poor airflow.
Frequently asked questions about Laurustinus
Is laurustinus frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -10°C when dormant, with medium frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does laurustinus need?
It does best on loam, sandy ground, at pH about 5.5–8.
How much water does laurustinus need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 500 mm/year, plus medium irrigation once established.
Can laurustinus handle wet or waterlogged soil?
It has medium waterlogging tolerance — short winter wet is usually fine, standing water is not.
What should I watch out for with laurustinus?
Berries are mildly toxic if eaten in quantity; can develop powdery mildew in poor airflow.
Laurustinus in soil templates
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