Carolina Cherry Laurel – To Keep Or To Kill

Q: I have Carolina cherry laurel sprouting up all over my property. It is
growing wherever there is open space without shade. Should I keep or kill?

A: Get rid of it. If you don’t control it you’ll soon have more than you want. I
have a tool called a grass whip that would be perfect for this job. It’s just a
wooden handle with a single sharp blade on the end. Walk around your
property with your coffee in one hand and a whip in the other. Small Carolina
cherry laurel seedlings are tender at the base. One flick with your whip and
you’ll slice and kill them easily. If you want to keep a couple of these native
trees for your landscape, use a round-point shovel to scoop one up and move it
around.