moderatePrivacy TreeOrnamental Tree

Should You Plant Skip Laurel?

Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis'

Best for homeowners who want screening faster than a slow ornamental can provide, without jumping straight to an oversized shade tree.

Skip Laurel is most useful when it is planted with a job to do: screening a property line, softening a fence, or building separation from a nearby neighbor.

Where It Excels

Skip Laurel excels where you need a greener edge and a sense of enclosure, but still want the planting to read as landscape rather than a hard barrier.

Think Twice If

I would skip Skip Laurel for shaded side yards or spots tucked under larger trees, because it is much more likely to disappoint there than in open sun.

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Growth rate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate)

Mature height

10–18 ft

Mature spread

5–7 ft

USDA zones

5–9

Height Timeline

How tall will it be when this yard actually has to live with it?

This table shows the estimated height at a few practical checkpoints, based on the current growth-rate estimate and capped at the tree's mature height.

10-Year Check-In

10 ft–18 ft

Useful if you are planning around resale, sightlines, or future shade.

Checkpoint	Estimated height
5 years	5 ft–10 ft
10 years	10 ft–18 ft
20 years	10 ft–18 ft
30 years	10 ft–18 ft
40 years	10 ft–18 ft
At maturity	10 ft–18 ft

What Growth Looks Like in a Real Yard

Skip Laurel typically puts on about 1–2 feet per year in decent conditions, which is why the 10-year question matters more than the label alone. In practical terms, that points to roughly 10–18 feet of height within a decade.

That middle pace is often the sweet spot for homeowners who want noticeable growth without feeling like the tree is racing ahead of the space.

Skip Laurel is a better choice on draining sites than on wet, heavy ground, so the planting hole matters more here than the nursery tag will usually admit.

How we built the estimate

For Skip Laurel, we pulled together published growth notes from plant references and gardening sources, then reduced them to a working range of 1–2 ft/yr. That range reflects how this tree is typically described in the literature, not a single nursery claim or one idealized number. We currently have 1 growth note in the mix, including 0 from stronger sources.

Typical yearly growth: 1–2 ft/yr (moderate).

Our working estimate is based on published growth notes gathered across plant references and gardening sources.

Want to see where this number came from?

Arbor Day Foundation

1–2 ft/yr

“Seeded editorial growth label: moderate”

Open source

Growing conditions

Quick reference for the basic site fit, followed by the limitation that matters most before you plant.

Growth rate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate)

Mature height

10–18 ft

Mature spread

5–7 ft

USDA zones

5–9

Sunlight

full sun; partial shade

Soil

Moist, well-drained soil

Leaf type

—

Watch Out

Skip Laurel is a better choice on draining sites than on wet, heavy ground, so the planting hole matters more here than the nursery tag will usually admit.

Sources

Direct references used to compile the fields shown on this page.

If You're Considering Skip Laurel, Also Look At...

These are not just lookalikes. They overlap on climate or growth profile, but each solves a slightly different homeowner problem.

Chinese Elm

Ulmus parvifolia

moderate

2–3 ft/yr (moderate) · 40–50 ft tall · Zones 5–10

Best for: shade · ornamental

Chinese Elm is the stronger pick if your real goal is building usable shade rather than making a mostly ornamental statement.

Shared zones: 5–9 · Similar growth pace

Eastern Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 30–40 ft tall · Zones 2–9

Best for: privacy · windbreak

Eastern Red Cedar is worth comparing if you want the same general fit but with more eventual scale and canopy.

Shared zones: 5–9 · Similar growth pace

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 15–25 ft tall · Zones 5–9

Best for: flowering · ornamental

Flowering Dogwood leans more ornamental, so it is worth a look if bloom, form, or seasonal show matters more than utility.

Shared zones: 5–9 · Similar growth pace

Kwanzan Cherry

Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan'

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 25–40 ft tall · Zones 5–9

Best for: flowering · ornamental

Kwanzan Cherry leans more ornamental, so it is worth a look if bloom, form, or seasonal show matters more than utility.

Shared zones: 5–9 · Similar growth pace

October Glory Red Maple

Acer rubrum 'October Glory'

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 40–50 ft tall · Zones 4–9

Best for: shade · ornamental

October Glory Red Maple is the stronger pick if your real goal is building usable shade rather than making a mostly ornamental statement.

Shared zones: 5–9 · Similar growth pace

Red Sunset Maple

Acer rubrum 'Franksred'

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 40–50 ft tall · Zones 4–9

Best for: shade · ornamental

Red Sunset Maple is the stronger pick if your real goal is building usable shade rather than making a mostly ornamental statement.

Shared zones: 5–9 · Similar growth pace