Cherry laurel is a vigorous evergreen 6 m with large, glossy leaves forming dense, year‑round hedging. Upright white flower racemes in spring are followed by black berries loved by birds. Shade‑tolerant and fast, it thrives in most soils, hardy to −25 °C. Clip twice a year—June and September—to keep formal walls; wear gloves as foliage contains cyanogenic compounds.