How to get rid of Laurel Tree?

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Laurel or Laurus Nobilis, belongs to the evergreen family of trees. It is majorly used for ornamental purposes because of its fragrance and aromatics. This species usually comes under the category of a shrub or a small tree. Laurel’s maximum height is only 30-40 feet. Historically this tree has also been used for medicinal purposes by the Native Indians.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can use to kill Laurel Trees as well as their root system to prevent future sprouting.

How to Kill Laurel Trees?

Laurus Nobilis can be killed using a variety of methods:

  • Foliar Spray
  • Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
  • Gridling or ring barking
  • Basal Bark treatment
  • Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
  • Cut surface treatment

All of the methods above have their own pros and cons, if you wish to learn more about these, make sure to go through my other article on how to kill trees.

It should also be noted that these are mostly just the tree-killing methods, depending on the situation, you will still have to remove the tree once it dies.

The best way to kill a small Laurel tree.

A small Laurus Nobilis is usually found as a shrub. This means they are about the height of a person and have a wide surface area. The Foliar Spray technique would be one of the options here. Especially if you are dealing with a number of Laurel trees. If you are dealing with one tree, here’s another option.

For foliar spray, you will need a backpack sprayer and a herbicide to go along with it. (Recommendations here)

I would also suggest adding some dye to the herbicide so you can tell which trees have been covered by it.

  1. Make sure there is no wind during this as the herbicide can get carried away.
  2. Use an effective herbicide like Roundup, Ortho, or Triclopyr.
  3. Spray the foliage of the tree with the herbicide.
  4. The herbicide will be absorbed by the leaves and transported to the roots, killing the tree over time.

Alternative method

Alternatively, if the Laurel tree is small, you can simply cut it down using a hatchet or a handsaw.

Right after cutting the tree down, treat the stump of the Laurel tree with Tordon RTU.

Tordon will then be absorbed by the stump, killing the root system of the tree.

The best way to kill a large Laurel tree

Even a mature Laurus Nobilis usually grows to about 20-30 feet tall. One problem can be the overly large foliage. Laurel’s huge foilage usually obstructs access to the trunk which makes it very difficult to use certain methods.

If you do have access to the trunk you can use girdling as explained in the next section. Alternatively, you can also use Basal Bark treatment.

The trunks of Laurus Nobilis are very slender and divide into multiple smaller trunks pretty early on, therefore the Basal Bark Treatment can be used here.

For basal bark treatment, you will need a backpack sprayer designed for spraying chemicals.

  • Go for an oil soluble mixture of a herbicide. The ideal proportion for mixing should be 1 part herbicide and 4-part oil carrier like basal oil, kerosene or diesel. (follow the manufaturers instructions)
  • The best options you can go for is Triclopyr. (Amazon affiliate link) In some places you can also buy Garlon 4 Ultra, Relegate, Forestry Garlon XR. Typically these herbicides are not available on the consumer market and priced at a premium.
  • Once you have the solution, spray the bottom 20 inches of the trunk with this solution and let it dry out, repeat this process again for better absorption.

For Laurel, you can even apply this method to the smaller trunks which diverge from the main trunk.

In case you don’t have access to the trunk, you will have to clear out the lower portion of the Foliage using a saw or an ax.

One more thing to note, if the main trunk is thicker than 6-7 inches in diameter, you have to use Ringbarking which I have explained below.

How to kill overly large Laurel trees

In some cases, the Laurus Nobilis can grow abnormally large, to about 40-50 feet. In this case, you can simply use Girdling as you have clear access to the trunk.

If bark removal is done correctly, it will stop the nutrient flow within Laurus Nobilis, from the roots to the stems and the leaves, killing the tree within a few months.

  1. You will need to either get a hatchet, or a chainsaw for this method.
  2. Remove a ring of bark around the entire tree, about 4-8 inches wide.
  3. For extra measure, spray herbicide along the exposed bark.

Things to consider before removing a tree on your own

Laurus Nobilis can grow to about 40-50 feet tall, which makes it quite tricky to remove them on your own, especially if you don’t have prior experience.

Once the tree dies, it will start decomposing, eventually falling down. If the Laurel is not located in a remote area, you will have to get it cut down for safety reasons.

Should you hire a professional tree removal service

Hiring a professional is the way to go if you are dealing with overly large Laurus Nobilis.

A professional will take care of the entire process from killing the tree to removing it off the property.

This will especially come in handy because of the large foliage around the tree. Cutting the tree down with this can be very technical.

On the other hand, if you are only dealing with a shrub-sized tree, you can most probably take care of the process without much problem.

Take a look at my tree removal price guide here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you kill a Laurel tree without cutting it down?

A Laurus Nobilis can be killed without cutting them down. The preferred methods for doing so would be ringbarking or basal bark treatment

Is Laurus Nobilis invasive?

Due to their resilience towards extreme climates, evergreen nature, and fast growth, Laurus Nobilis can compete with and outgrow native plants and trees.

What is the best chemical for killing Laurels?

The most effective chemical for Laurus Nobilis is considered to be a concentrated solution of Glyphosate or Metsulfuron.

Conclusion

A small Laurus Nobilis or Laurel tree that is under 8 feet tall can be killed using Foliar Spray. For bigger trees, it is recommended to use Basal Bark Treatment along with Girdling.

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