Cherry laurel vs Ebbing's silverberry

Cherry laurel and Ebbing's silverberry are often considered for the same spot in the garden (hedge, screening, container). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Cherry laurel

Prunus laurocerasus 3 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

A fast-growing evergreen with glossy leaves and one of the most popular hedging plants: it grows in sun and shade alike and takes hard pruning well.…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

from about CZK 250

Ebbing's silverberry

Elaeagnus × ebbingei 2.5 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

A vigorous, dense evergreen shrub with leathery leaves that are glossy dark green above and silvery beneath, bearing tiny, barely visible but strongly…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

from about CZK 380

Key differences

Cherry laurel is hardier: down to -23 °C, against -18 °C for Ebbing's silverberry.
Ebbing's silverberry copes better with summer heat than Cherry laurel.
Ebbing's silverberry tolerates drought better than Cherry laurel.
Ebbing's silverberry also takes chalky soil, Cherry laurel prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk (an estimate: sources differ).
Ebbing's silverberry is non-toxic to children, dogs and cats, Cherry laurel is not.

Which one to choose?

Cherry laurel is the better choice if the garden is cold or a frost pocket.

Ebbing's silverberry is the better choice if the spot is hot and sunny, you cannot water regularly, the soil is chalky or small children, dogs or cats use the garden.

Watch out for

Cherry laurel

In Central Europe the leaves scorch in hard continental winters: the plant cannot take up water from frozen ground while winter sun and wind dry it out; large-leaved Rotundifolia browns below -20 °C and its shoots die back below -24 °C, the tougher cultivars suffer less. Water it in dry winters when the ground is not frozen and give it a sheltered spot. On limy soil the leaves turn yellow (chlorosis). Shot-hole (fungal and bacterial) and powdery mildew are common, root rot follows waterlogging, and vine weevil can notch the leaf edges. It escapes from gardens: bird-sown seedlings settle in woodland, which is why its sale has been banned in Switzerland since 1 September 2024 (Annex 2.2 of the Release Ordinance), Germany's nature conservation agency keeps it on the action list of potentially invasive species, and conservationists in Austria are calling for a sales ban. It is not on the EU, Hungarian or Slovak invasive lists.

Ebbing's silverberry

In Central Europe its hardiness is borderline: below roughly minus 15 to minus 18 °C, especially in windy spots exposed to winter sun, the foliage scorches or drops and shoots of young plants may die back. In cold areas it is worth wrapping it for the first few years and mulching the base. Whole branches sometimes die suddenly for no visible reason and should be cut back to healthy wood. Less often the elaeagnus sucker distorts the leaves, and leaf spot or coral spot can appear.

The data side by side

Feature	Cherry laurel	Ebbing's silverberry
Group	Hedge	Hedge
Size after 10 years	3 m × 2.5 m (uncertain)	2.5 m × 2.5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	0.6–6 m × 1–4 m (uncertain)	2.4–4 m × 2.4–4 m
Growth rate	Fast	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade, Shade	Full sun, Part shade, Shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Acidic (uncertain)	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -18 °C (USDA 6, RHS H6)
Heat tolerance	Medium	High
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Flowering	April–May, white	September–November, white
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	High
Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Planted as a hedge	2.5 plants per running metre	2 plants per running metre
For dogs	Toxic	Non-toxic
For cats	Toxic	Non-toxic
For children	Toxic	Non-toxic
Typical price	about CZK 400 (60–100 cm)	approx. CZK 380

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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