Poet's laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae) native to western Asia. It has an open habit with slender branches that arch up and away from the center of the crown to a height of 4 feet and a width of 4 feet. It can resemble a clump of bamboo and spreads like one through its rhizomes. It prefers moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter, though it tolerates the elusive dry shade. It tolerates clay and sand as long as there is adequate moisture. Once it is established, it is fairly drought tolerant. There can be some damage during cold winters, but it does not seem to affect the underground buds from producing leaves the next year. It is fairly difficult to propagate both by seed and division of older plants, so it may be challenging to find it in the nurseries. The glossy green foliage is long-lasting, so ideal for flower arrangements. But its real stunning beauty comes in late fall and winter with its beautiful display of bright orange-red round berries. Gracefully arching branches make it a lovely specimen for spilling over a wall or walkway or tucked in a rock garden. It also works well planted at a stream or pond edge as the branches will lightly dip into the water. They also do well in the deep shade of the under canopy of rhododendrons or mountain laurels in a woodland garden. Quick ID Hints : Shiny, bright green stems, 'petioles' and 'leaves' Cladophylls are alternate, lanceolate, 'parallel-veined' Small evergreen shrub with red-orange berries Minute, hair-like leaves at base of cladophylls Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Its lush foliage discolors in full sun so keep it in partial to full shade. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Open
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Good Cut; Long-lasting
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Alternate, lustrous, rich, emerald green, modified stems called phylloclades; 1.5-4" long; tapered point on each end. Minute and hairlike at base of cladophylls.
0.5" green in the summer turn to bright orange-red berries in fall and persist into winter. Up to ten berries can be in one grouping which makes it quite showy. An orbicular berry, orange-red.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
There is occasional stem dieback so prune out those stems. Green, rigid, branched, clumped; cladophylls alternate,oblong-lanceolate, acute, narrowed at base and shortly stalked, ridged longitudinally, shiny green.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Turkey, Iran
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Berry
Uses (ethnobotany)
Foliage long-lasting for flower arrangements and wreaths.